Health Technician (Spinal Cord Injury)

The Long Beach VA Medical Center is searching for a Health Technician (HT) to serve within the Nursing, Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and Rehab service.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Performing direct and indirect patient/resident care activities.
• Serving as a role model and leader for patients and peers.
• Applying, assisting, and teaching to use prosthetic appliances and orthotic devices for ambulation.
• Observing patients for pain while doing their exercises and reporting patients who have shown a decline in their mobility or functional status to licensed nurses.
• Providing postmortem care in a respectful manner to include draping the gurney with the Service Flag before exiting the patient's room.
• Performing passive, assistive, and active range of motion exercises to patients specific to Spinal Cord Injury.
• Bathing patients, providing oral hygiene and denture care, reporting any oral issues, and assisting patients in grooming and laundering.
• Escorting and transporting residents on and off station for activities/appointments.
• Assisting residents to apply and remove splints or prostheses.
• Measuring and recording vital signs, height and weight.
• Utilizing non-pharmacological approaches to manage pain/discomfort and performing small group programs.
• Redirecting patients with behavioral issues utilizing non-restrictive measures and setting firm limits to unacceptable behavior to ensure safety.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience providing direct patient care with activities of daily living (ADLs), including bathing, grooming, toileting, dressing, and feeding in an acute or long-term care setting.
• Experience safely transferring and repositioning patients using gait belts, slide boards, and mechanical lifts (Hoyer or similar), including bariatric patients, in accordance with facility safety policies.
• Proficient in assisting with mobility, ambulation, and range-of-motion (ROM) exercises as directed by nursing and therapy staff to prevent contractures and promote functional independence.
• Prior experience monitoring and documenting patient status during care activities, promptly reporting changes in condition, skin integrity, or pain to licensed nursing staff.
• Experience supporting patients with safe use of wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive devices, including proper locking, positioning, and fall-prevention techniques.
• Previous work experience as a CNA/PCT/rehab aide or similar role in hospital, skilled nursing, or rehabilitation settings strongly preferred.

Work Schedule: Schedule varies, Day or Night shift, 730am-8pm/730pm - 8am
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Spinal Cord Injury)/PD10355A and PD10335A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/18/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of therapeutic, rehabilitative, and preventive care for patients in various states of dependency; knowledge of interpersonal skills to give reassurances to the patient, encourage him to receive the proper treatment and help cope with physical conditions; Knowledge and understanding of the neurophysiology of the autonomic nervous system and the functioning of the upper motor neuron and lower motor neuron lesion with the corresponding intestinal and bladder dysfunction; Knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the urinary system; Knowledge of emergency cardiac arrest procedures; Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the care plan and recovery; Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in diagnostic and treatment procedures.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Diagnostic Medical Testing
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Patient Care
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The physical and mental status of the Health Technician should enable them to perform all their duties under normal and emergent conditions. The evaluation of an individual's ability to perform efficiently and without hazard to self of others will encompass a composite consideration of physical, mental, and emotional ability as related to realistic requirements for the duties and responsibilities to be assumed (VA 5019, Part II, Appendix A 4/15/2002). Duties regularly require utilizing safe patient handling devices in lifting and positioning patients, most bariatric or unable to assist. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, and pulling.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.