Health Technician

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 47,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

The Health Technician position is based at the Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany. The incumbent supports the Clinical Laboratory as a pre-employment screening collector and point of contact, handling specimen processing and delivery, drug screen collections, and related administrative tasks.

Primary duties include maintaining chain of custody, coordinating with HR for collections, and ensuring compliance with safety and federal standards in a fast-paced lab environment.

Qualifications

• Must have clinical laboratory knowledge and comply with federal standards.
• Experience with specimen collection and urine drug screening.
• Familiarity with safety and universal precautions.
• Ability to manage pre-employment screening processes.

Responsibilities

• Perform urine drug screen collections for pre-employment health appointments.
• Prepare specimens for transport and maintain chain of custody.
• Verify specimen identities and process add-on test requests using VistA/CPRS.
• Maintain drug screen supplies and ensure safety protocols.
• Handle telephone calls and coordinate test requests in the laboratory.

Skills

Clinical lab operations

Urine drug screen collection

Inventory & supply management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

VistA/CPRS

Laboratory LIS

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

This Health Technician position is based at the Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center - Albany. The incumbent serves as a Health Technician and pre-employment screening collector and point of contact in the Clinical Laboratory. The incumbent must possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to manage, train and ensure compliance of federal regulated standards of the clinical laboratory.

Key Responsibilities

The Health Technician is responsible for performing the functions required in the Central Accessioning area of the laboratory. They perform work in a clinical laboratory providing a range of diagnostic functions to include assisting patients, VA staff and specimen processing and delivery. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Perform urine drug screen collections to match employee health pre-employment physical appointments.

Work with HR and other UDS collectors to schedule collections. Maintain drug screen cart by keeping it sanitized, stocked with appropriate supplies, secure patient information, maintains organization/free from clutter, and ready to use by anyone conducting a drug screen. Manage the stored supplies to maintain numbers to fulfill program needs, and initiate contact with appropriate ordering staff when/if supplies are low.

Prepare specimen for transport to the testing laboratory. Ensure chain of custody for these specimens. Maintains awareness of regulatory and procedural changes issued through the national Drug-Free Workplace Program and assists with annual updates to local UDS Standard Operating Procedures to incorporate applicable changes. Receives, prepares, labels, examines, and delivers specimens for laboratory departments.

Verifies the accuracy of specimen identity and works to correct discrepancies. Verifies identifiers such as patient identification, time of sample, type of test requested. Identifies unusual conditions and discrepancies, which may cause erroneous test results. Recognizes emergency situations and prioritizes workload. Notifies technologists of impending work and all STAT specimens. Expedites delivery of STAT specimens to all departments.

Receives and relays incoming telephone calls and messages. Receives verbal requests for add-on tests and verifies specimen availability and accuracy of request. Verifies the accuracy and completeness of requests using VistA or CPRS computer systems. Adheres to safety, infection control and universal precaution always. Controls contaminated or potentially dangerous specimens in accordance with accreditation agency requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (7:30am - 4:00pm) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD528D-14510 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements & Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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/.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $46848 – $60902/yr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-02.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.

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Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-29 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov