Health Technician (Phlebotomy)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Vancouver (WA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs seeks qualified candidates for a GS-05 position within the Portland VA Medical Center's outpatient clinic services. The role involves ongoing patient care duties in an outpatient setting, including observation-based screening and phlebotomy support under supervision, with opportunities to assist nursing and laboratory teams.

Applicants must meet English proficiency requirements and the grade-specific criteria, including specialized experience,

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in outpatient patient care or related duties.
• Education may substitute for experience with a 4-year degree and relevant courses.
• Combination of education and experience can qualify with transcripts.

Responsibilities

• Provide ongoing patient care duties in an outpatient clinic setting.
• Assist with preparing patients for medical evaluation and setting up equipment.
• Support staff nurse, nurse manager, and laboratory personnel as needed.

Skills

Phlebotomy

Outpatient care

Patient screening

Venipuncture/diagnostic testing

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Phlebotomy equipment

Job description

This position is aligned under the Portland VA Medical Center, Primary Care Division, Clinics and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). To qualify for this position, applicants must meet specialized experience within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 09/28/2026.

English 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.

Individual Occupational Requirement

All applicants must meet the following 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.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement and English proficiency, applicants must also meet the grade specific requirements listed below

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

• 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 ongoing patient care duties in an outpatient clinical setting; performing observation-based screening and collecting patient information; assisting with preparing patients for medical evaluation, setting up equipment and providing treatment during in-person or virtual visits; providing assistance to Staff Nurse, Nurse Manager, and laboratory support. Performs routine diagnostic tests such as venipuncture, bladder scan, ultrasound, 2 glucometer, pregnancy testing, urinary tract infection testing and electrocardiograms, as directed by the physician or professional nurse, for the purpose of diagnostic testing. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as phlebotomy, nursing, or other related subjects. This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. NOTE: Transcripts required. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. NOTE: Transcripts required. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

Preferred Experience

At least 6 months experience in Phlebotomy.

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/.

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.