Medical Technician

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Collects blood specimens from inpatients, outpatients, and emergency room patients using vacutainer, syringe, butterfly, or capillary techniques.
- Ensures proper patient identification using at least two identifiers before specimen collection.
- Performs venipuncture with minimal patient bruising, failures, or required re-sticks.
- Obtains urine, stool, and other biological specimens following standard protocols.
- Adapts collection methods based on patient age, condition, or special needs (e.g., pediatric or geriatric patients).
- Receives and sorts specimens from phlebotomy rooms, clinics, and outpatient facilities.
- Accessions specimens into VISTA or other lab systems, generating accurate labels.
- Prepares specimens for testing via centrifugation, decanting, or aliquoting as required.
- Verifies specimen suitability (e.g., volume, condition) and requests redraws if inadequate.
- Maintains specimen integrity by storing at appropriate temperatures (e.g., refrigerated, frozen).
- Uses technical judgment to interpret laboratory results.
- Able to consult with other members of the health care team, patients and external customers.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:00am - 2:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Education. Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification.
• Certification. Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizations.

(a) American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP)

i ASCP, Board of Certification.

OR

ii ASCP, Board of Registry.

(b) American Medical Technologists.

OR

(c) American Association of Bioanalysts.

Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may receive a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed two years as a graduate MLT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) without the option to extend.

• Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign MLT programs are considered to meet the basic education requirements if they have a current certification as described in subparagraph 4.c.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency. MLT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations

Medical Laboratory Technician, GS-05.

(a) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. None.

(c) Assignment.
This is an entry-level developmental MLT position. MLTs will typically receive guidance from experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. MLTs at this level perform testing in one or more of the following areas: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived testing, phlebotomy, hematology, immunohematology, clinical chemistry, immunology, toxicology, urinalysis, referral laboratory, microbiology and specimen processing. MLTs recognize data with life-threatening (critical) implications and understand the importance of immediately bringing the data to the attention of the patient's physician and/or nursing staff.


Medical Laboratory Technician, GS-06.

(a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level.

(b) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i Knowledge of MLT principles, practices, concepts and theories for sound independent work.
ii Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures to manage reagents and supply inventories using document control systems.
iii Ability to maintain, troubleshoot and repair instrumentation.
iv Ability to work as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignments.
v Ability to use technical judgment to interpret laboratory results.vi Ability to apply complex written laboratory instructions. vii Ability to consult with other members of the health care team, patients and external customers.

(c) Assignment.
At the full performance level, MLTs use independent judgment to perform the full range of duties in the laboratory, from sample collection to evaluating and communicating test results. MLTs perform day-to-day operations in the laboratory with minimal technical supervision while ensuring testing accuracy and quality of proper patient care. This includes providing pre-analytic instructions to patients, VA staff and other external entities related to collection and processing of laboratory specimens. MLTs use processing techniques such as centrifugation, aliquoting, storage and packaging (considering stability factors), and they accurately label and sort patient specimens. MLTs operate and maintain all instrumentation in assigned areas to deliver precise, timely and accurate laboratory results when analyzing body fluids such as blood, urine and tissue samples. MLTs at this level analyze laboratory findings and issue necessary reports. The results and findings of laboratory tests and procedures are discussed with supervisors, pathologists and other medical professionals as needed.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.