Health Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Detroit seeks a Health Technician to join the PACT Primary Care team under the guidance of the PACT Clinical Nurse Manager. You will support medical and nursing staff with technical, specialized, and diagnostic tasks to aid in patient care.

Qualifications emphasize English proficiency and experience with phlebotomy, vital signs, specimen handling, and use of common clinical equipment. The role supports outpatient veterans' care.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 in the normal line of progression.
• Experience applying knowledge and techniques of the position to be filled.
• Graduate education or combination to meet the qualification standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform phlebotomy and diagnostic support duties as described in the vacancy.
• Record vital sign deviations and communicate to the provider.
• Obtain and label specimens for laboratory analysis.

Skills

Phlebotomy

Vital signs

Specimen labeling

Patient care

Monofilament testing

Doppler exam

Pulse oximetry

ECG machine

Education

Graduate education related to the work

Tools

Bladder scanner

ECG Machine

Doppler equipment

Job description

The Health Technician works as a member of the Primary Care Service (PACT), under the guidance of the PACT Clinical Nurse Manager. PACT provides comprehensive outpatient services to eligible veterans who present or are referred for preventative/routine care & urgent medical conditions. The Health Technician assists medical and nursing staff through technical, specialized or support services for the diagnosing or treatment of patient illnesses or medical conditions. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/29/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Individual Occupation Requirement: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.
• English Language Proficiency Requirement: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to perform the duties of this position. AND,

In addition to the above requirements, in order to qualify for this position at the GS-6 level, you must meet one of the following minimum qualifications:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Skill and precision in using phlebotomy needles, tools, materials, and equipment; Performing diagnostic support duties such as taking, recording, and reporting vital sign deviations to provider; Obtaining specimens and labeling specimens for the laboratory; making gross visual observations and identifying subtle changes regarding patient's condition, documenting observations and communicating to practitioners; Using hot and cold packs, changing sterile dressings, caring for patients and giving treatments that require auxiliary equipment; Performing a variety of specialized tests and procedures such as monofilament testing, and doppler exam of the extremity artery, Gathering diagnostic information using specialized equipment such as pulse oximetry, bladder scanner and ECG Machine. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 6 months of graduate education (usually 9 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of this position. One full year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the one year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required. OR,
• Combination: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Transcripts required, and experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit.

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/.