Health Technician (Laboratory Assistant)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Service in Dallas seeks a Health Technician (Laboratory) to support specimen accessioning, processing, and phlebotomy across the VA North Texas Healthcare System.

Responsibilities include receiving specimens, ensuring proper storage, and coordinating with reference labs. The role requires maintaining specimen integrity, following universal precautions, and delivering timely laboratory services.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-04 in a medical laboratory setting.
• Proficient in phlebotomy and blood collection techniques.
• Ability to interact with patients, visitors, staff respectfully.
• Knowledge of universal precautions and infection control.

Responsibilities

• Specimen Receipt and accessioning; provide customer relation services.
• Process and route specimens to appropriate laboratory sections.
• Evaluate specimen suitability; request new specimens if unusable.
• Prepare specimens for analysis while maintaining specimen integrity.
• Operate and monitor equipment; perform quality assurance on instrumentation.
• Venipuncture collection and blood sample procurement per policies.
• Clerical duties; verify patient information and tests in the system.

Skills

Phlebotomy techniques

Specimen handling

Patient interaction

Infection control

Laboratory equipment operation

Education

Bachelor's degree in a health-related field

Tools

Centrifuges

Refrigerators

Freezers

Job description

Summary

The Health Technician is responsible for receiving and processing specimens including computerized accessioning - centrifugation - aliquoting - determining specimen acceptability - and delivery to the point of analysis or - if analysis is to be delayed - ensuring proper storage conditions are utilized to preserve specimen integrity. Additionally - they check-in/accession patients and collect specimens through phlebotomy procedures. AMERICA'S VETERANS NEED YOU!

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/28/2026. Individual Occupational 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. Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Performing blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer systems - syringe - butterfly - and/or capillary finger sticks. Interacting with patients - visitors - staff - students and volunteers in a courteous - helpful - tactful - cooperative - respectful and compassionate manner. Assessing patient condition before - during - and after procedures. Adhering to all universal precautions - infection control - and safety regulations associated with phlebotomy. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a four (4) year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study - or 60 semester hours - beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. 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/.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Specimen Receipt (50%)Provides customer relation services when receiving laboratory specimens from patients and other services within the VA North Texas Healthcare System
• Serves as a subject matter expert for other healthcare professionals on the collection and processing of all laboratory testing
• Reviews and accepts test request orders for samples submitted for testing
• This includes accessioning samples into the laboratory
• Evaluates the suitability of specimens for analysis - requesting new specimens if determined to be unusable
• Prepares specimens for analysis - ensuring that the physiologic state of the specimen properties is maintained
• Follows established protocol for handling of mislabeled/unlabeled specimens
• Separates and routes the specimen to the specific laboratory section that performs the ordered test
• Receives packages delivered to the laboratory
• Specimen and Send-Out Processing (25%)Performs the processing of all clinical laboratory specimens and is responsible for the timely and proper distribution of specimens to the technical areas of the PLMS laboratory and the reference laboratories to assure specimen integrity
• Uses laboratory equipment such as centrifuges - refrigerators - and freezers - in addition to consumables such as transfer pipettes - laboratory pour-off tubes and reference laboratory specimen containers
• Communicate with the reference laboratories to research the requirements on new tests that are not identified in the reference laboratory directories
• Operates and performs periodic reviews on equipment including checking temperatures of laboratory refrigerators and freezers - etc
• Responsible for monitoring technical equipment - performing maintenance - and quality assurance on instrumentation (centrifuge)
• Clerical Assignments (15%)Serves as key contact for Veterans and beneficiaries seeking Diagnostic services - experiencing problems - and/or requesting information
• Operate standard office equipment - such as multiline phone - copier - scanner - fax - page printers - label printers - etc
• Answer and route telephone calls to the appropriate technical area of P&LMS
• Verifies patient information and tests ordered in the computer system
• Prints patient order labels for sample collection and at leisure tests (urine - stool - 24-hour urine - etc.)
• Answers basic technical laboratory questions or following up with appropriate section
• Venipuncture Collection (10%)Demonstrates knowledge of principles - techniques - and practices of phlebotomy - hemostasis - and requirement of blood collection for the various tests performed in the laboratory
• Obtains timely and appropriate blood samples as ordered per PLMS policies and procedures for both inpatient and outpatient orders
• Must understand isolation precautions and the proper personal protective equipment necessary to perform phlebotomy procedures
• Identifies tests that require special handling conditions and appropriately performs proper specimen collection
• Initiates emergency care procedures in the event a patient has reaction to blood collection procedures including fainting - hematoma - and anxiety
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - tour of duty varies within 6:30am to 5:30pm - Rotating Holidays and Weekends Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Laboratory Assistant)/PD00802A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized