Clarification from the agency

Special authorities include: Former overseas employees and foreign service employees. Clarification for these authorities is provided in the questionnaire. First AOC (Area of Consideration) is Facility employees; Second AOC is VA Agency; Third AOC are all other eligible applicants.

Duties include but not limited to:

• Position requires strong interpersonal skills and customer service. Safely transports patients by stretcher, wheelchair, gurney and/or accompany the ambulatory patients who need assistance to areas within the Medical Center and OHSU. Recognizes and reports significant changes in patients that are being transported. Maintains communication with Patient Transport Courier and Patient Support Team Supervisor at each delivery point
• Dispatches trips to all using services via CPRS consult package and prioritizes workload for Patient Transport and Courier Service. These may include OHSU Radiation Therapy, Casey Eye Institute, OHSU Dental School, Surgery, Pathology, Radiology, Pharmacy, MRI and other areas as needed. VAMC dispatch is to all areas within the medical center. Is responsible for prioritizing various transports based on patient care needs and logistics. Including patient condition, treatment, modality, mode of transport and scheduling. Gives guidance to Patient Transport & Courier staff/volunteers to promote efficient and safe transport. Collects and delivers all specimens, labs, consults, x-rays, charts and all medical related materials and equipment throughout the Medical Center and OHSU.
• Responds and assists in all emergencies, including, but not limited to codes (cardiac arrest, behavioral emergency and fire alert), and internal/external disasters throughout the Medical Center and the VA Bridge. In a dignified manner, provides a full range of services to VA staff in caring for expired patients which includes preparing and transferring the body, as well as transporting to the morgue.
• Secures patient's confidence and cooperation through the discharge process. Explains procedures for transition through pharmacy and transportation. Varies procedure based on patient needs. Advocate for the discharging unit and respond to inquiries pertaining to the process.
• Provides general clerical/administrative support coordination work for the unit. Performs a variety of receptionist, record keeping, and miscellaneous duties. Receives visitors, answers the telephone, and refers calls to appropriate staff or records messages. Plans. organizes and coordinates activities of the unit. Communicates in a tactful and courteous manner with a wide variety of individuals with varying levels of understanding. Uses software to produce specific printouts. Uses word processing software to produce a variety of documents.
• Receives and directs patients, answers routine inquiries. Reports obvious changes in patient behavior to the professional staff.
• Performs other related duties as 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: Days vary with every other other weekends and holidays,2pm - 10:30pm, PST
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Aid/ Health Technician/PD20270A, PD20271A, and PD20272A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting of 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying of 15-44 pounds; Straight pulling 4 hours; Pushing 4 hours; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking 3 hours; Standing 4-6 hours; Repeated bending 2 hours; Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordinating simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Mental and emotional stability 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 or 2-year trial 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, 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement:

Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-2 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-1.
• For a GS-3 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-1.
• For a GS-4 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-3.

The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Individual Occupational Requirements:

• Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): 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.

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.

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

• For the GS-02:
  • General Work Experience: Applicants must have at least 3 months of general work experience. Examples of general experience include, but not limited to: under direct supervision performing duties such as customer service, direct and indirect patient care in a clinical setting. OR
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully graduated high school or the equivalent. Must be indicated in resume.
• For the GS-03:
  • General Work Experience: Applicants must have at least 6 months of general work experience equivalent to the GS-2 level. Examples of General Experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Under supervision performing duties such as customer service, direct and indirect patient care in a clinical setting. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS level (if a federal position), duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-3 level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed one (1) year above High School education with course(s) related to a study in medical, health, or related fields. 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. (One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school). Transcripts required. OR
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-3 level. You must have a combination of education above High School with course(s) related to a study in medical, health, or related fields, and General Experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with General Experience to qualify, a transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-3.
• For the GS-04:
  • General and Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of work experience (can combine 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-3 level). Examples of General Experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Independently performing duties such as customer service, direct and indirect patient care in a clinical setting. Examples of Specialized Experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Recognizes and reports significant changes in patients that are being transported. Prioritizing transportation based on patient care needs. Responding to patient emergencies. Clarifying discharge procedures, etc. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS level (if a federal position), duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR
  • Education:2 years of education above high school with course(s) related to the occupation. 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 of General/Specialized Experience and Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-04 level. You must have a combination of of college level education beyond one (1) year with course(s) related to a study in medical, health, or related fields, and General and/or Specialized Experience to meet total experience requirements. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-04. NOTE: If using education combined with General Experience to qualify, a transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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
• Interpersonal Skills
• Physical Strength
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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:

• 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)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Proof of Marriage Status
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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