Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Transport patients in need of Advance Life Support level care to and from various locations including inter-facility transport.
• Operates or utilizes various vehicles and emergency/medical equipment, tools and supplies which may include ambulance, blood pressure cuff, glucose monitor, AED, 12 lead EKG, non-invasive airway equipment, oxygen administration devices pulse oximetry monitor, medical supplies, radio communications equipment and general office equipment.
• Prioritizes transports for patients and employs a variety of established techniques, methods and equipment during transport to the appropriate medical facility.
• Assist in transporting non-ambulatory patients, as directed, and ensure all safety protocols for these particular patient groups are followed throughout the transport.
• Performs assessments to obtain history, status of patient's neurological system, cardiovascular system, circulatory system, skeletal system, orthopedic system, motor and sensory skills and level of consciousness for the purpose of safe transport.
• Perform patient triage and take/records patient's vital signs as needed.
• Provide and gather information on the human body structure, function, illnesses and diseases, and the treatment procedure supporting patient charting.
• Cleans and sanitizes all reusable equipment and ensures all disposable equipment is disposed of in the appropriate manner. Follows facility infections control guidelines.
• Conducts patient assessments, to ensure safe of vehicle transport. Conducts examination of the patient's condition to determine the need for assistance when entering and exiting the vehicle.
• Understand indications, dosing, and administer oral, intramuscular, and intravenous medications.
• Conducts or assists with the training of personnel in CPR, basic and advanced emergency medical care techniques.
• Administers Basic and Advanced Life Support care in accordance with established medical standards, which may include providing CPR, manual defibrillation, synchronized cardioversion, and transcutaneous pacing manual defibrillation and or medications. Provides respiratory care, including intubation and ventilation management.
• Respond to on-campus emergency calls and provide advanced life support to patients in concordance with established protocols.
• Respond to on-site accidents and other emergencies involving injury and illnesses, sometimes encountering situations which may be life threatening.
• Determine and prioritizes appropriate medical treatment/procedures and need for additional assistance.
• Make an independent preliminary assessment of the patient's condition and select from a variety of prescribed protocols the one that is considered appropriate under the given circumstances

Work Schedule: Paramedics work rotating shifts, including holidays, and are subject to occasional recall to maintain adequate coverage of the Emergency Department and ambulance service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mandatory overtime may be required due to run times that may extend beyond normal scheduled work hours.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Emergency Medical Technician/PD99774S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized for qualified applicants
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Physical Requirements: The Paramedics work involves extended periods of heavy moving and lifting of patients in a variety of situations. Generally, the work requires recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, and positioning of patients, frequently under adverse conditions or in confined areas. Paramedics may be required to spend prolonged periods in protective breathing apparatus and protective clothing during chemical, nuclear, biological, or hazardous materials incidents/exercises.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• 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. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements:The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/28/2026.

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

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR):

• 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. AND

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: EMTs shall have a well-developed working knowledge of physiological and topographic anatomy, right/left, surface, proximal/distal, superior/ inferior to accurately transmit location information about the body and its functions. Skill and familiarity with emergency and patient transport vehicle characteristics to safely operate the vehicle under adverse weather and/or traffic conditions to provide emergency and patient transportation, Broad knowledge of the local road system and skill in the pre-selection and planning of the route to ensure the safe and expedient transport of patients to the proper health care facility, Skilled and knowledge of proper operator maintenance to ensure vehicle meets safety and operating requirements, Knowledge of protocols and treatments used in the delivery of emergency care for persons injured in chemical, nuclear, biological, and hazardous materials incidents, knowledge and skills sufficient to provide and gather information on the human body structure, function, illnesses and diseases, and the treatment procedure supporting patient charting and goals for the assigned patient for the purpose of communicating with the patients and nursing/medical staff member OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate meets the requirements for GS-7. 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 total percentage of specialized experience and education when added together must equal 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS 6, i.e.9 credit hours and 6 months of specialized experience are equivalent to 1 year.
• Drivers License Requirement: Must possess a valid, unrestricted driver's license to operate government owned/leased vehicles.
• Certifications/Selective Placement Factor: Must have Basic Life Support Provider (BLS) and EMT state license/certification.
• English Language Proficiency

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Professional Certification
• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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