Medical Technician

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service Line at the Auburn, WA Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 04/17/2026.

English Language Proficiency: 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 meet the requirements of this position.

Selective Placement Factor (SPF): The SPF is a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position.

Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF is experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and it is something that can't be waived.

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled.

OR For GS-4: Successful completion of (a) an associate-degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the 2-year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) 1 year of study that included 6 semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences, plus successful completion of the training course as described in (a) above for GS-3; or (c) 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled.

OR For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled.

In addition to the qualifications listed above, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-4: GENERAL/SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Have (6) months of general experience and (6) months of specialized experience which equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the Medical Technician - Phlebotomy, GS-4.General Experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.

Examples of specialized experience include: Receiving, labeling, or transporting patient specimens while following established safety and infection control procedures; Using computerized medical or scheduling systems to look up patient information, verify orders, or enter routine data; Assisting staff with preparing examination or laboratory areas by stocking supplies and maintaining an organized work environment; providing customer service to patients or clinical staff, such as giving directions, answer routine questions, or coordinating patient flow.

OR EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Have successfully completed (a) an associate - degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the two (2) year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) One (1) year of study that included six (6) semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences, plus successful completion of a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician)school that included instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology(including serology) and that, in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; or (c) two (2) years of study that included at least twelve (12) semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

OR COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Have equivalent combinations of successfully completed post high school education (beyond the first year above high school with course(s) related to the occupation, if required) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level.

If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position and must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

GS-5: 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 that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience is: Reviewing laboratory or clinical orders to ensure patient information and requested tests are correct before processing specimens; Preparing, packaging, storing, or routing specimens according to established handling and transport requirements; Using electronic medical record or laboratory systems to update orders, track specimens, or document completed work; monitoring supply levels and requesting laboratory or clinical materials to ensure uninterrupted daily operations; Recognizing patient distress or urgent situations and notifying appropriate medical staff in accordance with established procedures.

OR EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled.

OR COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have equivalent combinations of post-high school education and specialized experience, as described above.

Note: Only education in excess of 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/.

Major Duties:

Use special drawing techniques and assuring that proper tubes are used, uses the correct order of draw for plastic Vacutainer tubes and the correct amount of blood is drawn.

Performs venipuncture specimen collections from inpatient, outpatients, and ambulatory inpatients, with a minimal number of failures, patient bruising, or required re-sticks, ensuring that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay.

Labels all tubes in the presence of the patient with the patient's full name, full social security number, phlebotomists initials, date and time of collection to insure proper specimen identification.

Performs blood-drawing duties in a courteous manner. Makes the patient feel as comfortable as possible. Adheres to safety, infection control, and universal precautions at all times.

This includes such things as replacing bed rails, removing tourniquets and wearing gloves. Collects nasopharyngeal, mid-turbinate, or oropharyngeal swabs for bacterial or viral testing.

Receives all requests for testing into the laboratory. Verifies the accuracy and completeness of the request. Interacts with clinic personnel to correct discrepancies.

Recognizes emergency situations and takes necessary action. Establishes priorities for emergency orders. Accessions all requests into the hospital computer system.

Uses order entry by multipurpose ordering option and other laboratory computer options such as accessioning by ward order entry.

Must properly use approximately 200 computer codes for laboratory tests Performs waived or moderately complex testing for bacterial or viral infections, urinalysis or glucose.

Performs daily quality control and instrument maintenance.

Responsible for the collection and handling of specimens in accordance with the Federal Workplace Drug Testing Program as administered and regulated by the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for drug testing of new employees. The employee is totally knowledgeable of the DHHS Specimen Collection Procedures Guideline.

Answers incoming calls for Laboratory Services. Quickly finds and relays accurate information or refers the caller to technical personnel. Performs disposition of add-on orders.

Other duties may be assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD41340A and PD41341A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized