Medical Technician; Phlebotomist Omaha, NE

Summary

Incumbent serves as a Medical Technician (Phlebotomist) in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&MLS) at VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE.

• Performs blood collection using venipunctures, arterial punctures and capillary finger stick with minimal failures and delays.
• Identifies tests that require special handling and performs proper specimen collection.
• Initiates emergency care procedures if a patient reacts to blood collection (fainting, hematoma, anxiety).
• Maintains adequate supply of phlebotomy supplies, reporting shortages to logistics staff or supervisor.
• Uses only in‑date supplies, rotates supplies to minimize waste, discards expired supplies appropriately.
• Processes specimens with complex instrumentation (centrifuges) and transfers specimens for secondary testing.
• Follows laboratory safety policies and regulatory requirements including infection control, hand hygiene, specimen transport, and patient isolation.
• Opens the pneumatic tube system to transport specimens to the main laboratory.
• Packs specimens for manual transport between clinic lab and main laboratory and delivers to appropriate sections.
• Ensures specimens are stored at proper temperature and conditions (on ice, protected from light) as required by ordered tests.
• Accession and receipt lab orders, remove canceled tests, and reorder testing to correct ordering errors.
• Builds collection lists and accesses patient files containing sensitive information.
• Prints patient labels and collection lists, operates the lab label printer and troubleshoots printing issues.
• Performs all duties as assigned by supervisor.

Designated Drug‑Testing Position: Applicants tentatively selected are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Refusal to be tested will result in denial of employment.

Work Schedule: Sunday‑Saturday, 8‑hour shift between 5:00 am and 9:30 pm with rotating weekends and holidays.

Recruitment & Relocation

Incentives:

Not authorized.

• U.S. Citizen required.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
• Selective Service Registration required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will complete an online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program required for all VA Health Care Personnel.

Selected applicants must complete a 1‑year probationary period during which performance and conduct are evaluated. Upon completion, employment will be terminated unless certification is received that continued employment advances the public interest.

English Language Proficiency
Proficiency in basic written and spoken English required.

Experience
For a GS‑4 Medical Technician (Phlebotomist), applicants must have at least six (6) months of general experience and six (6) months of specialized experience in laboratory support work (e.g., performing laboratory tests, blood banking, or related technical support). Alternatively, applicants may possess an associate‑degree or equivalent education with appropriate laboratory training. Experience must be fully documented on resume with dates and hours per week.

Applicants must possess a selective placement factor: experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.

Competencies

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Patient Care
• Quality Assurance
• Specimen Collection

Physical Requirements
Manual dexterity, hand/eye coordination, regular walking, reaching, bending, and standing for several hours. Occasional lifting of up to 20 lb.

• Open & Closing Dates: 01/07/2026 to 01/13/2026
• Salary: $41,410 to $53,839 per year
• Pay Scale & Grade: GS‑4
• Location: Omaha, NE
• Vacancies: 3
• Remote job: No
• Telework eligible: No
• Travel required: Not required
• Relocation expenses reimbursed: No
• Appointment type: Permanent
• Work schedule: Full‑time
• Service: Competitive
• Promotion potential: 4
• Job family (Series): 0645 Medical Technician
• Supervisory status: No
• Security clearance: Other
• Drug test: Yes
• Position sensitivity and risk: Non‑sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
• Trust determination process: Credentialing, Suitability/Fitness
• Financial disclosure: No
• Bargaining unit status: No
• Announcement number: CARZ‑‑26‑AL
• Control number: