Health Technician Job in Salt Lake City, UT

Vacancy No. CBSU-12755527-25-CMD Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $36,049.00 to $46,868.00 Grade 4 to 4
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/30/2025 Close Date 7/10/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Salt Lake City, UT


Summary

This position, located in Nursing Service, at the VHA Salt Lake City Healthcare System. The primary purpose for the Health Technician is to deliver a broad array of services throughout the medical center, and its various locations that provide inpatient or outpatient care. Incumbent is responsible for customer service, transport of patients and medical specimens, assisting in non-technical services on inpatient medical units, and outpatient clinics throughout the SLC VA Medical Center.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

  • Provides customer service, directing Veterans, families, and other visitors to the appropriate areas of the hospital. Educates, role models, and assists inpatients/residents and families in adhering to infection control principles throughout the facility.
  • Maintains general cleanliness of the waiting and sitting areas, including wheelchairs in and around lobby, inpatient and outpatient areas.
  • Transports patients via wheelchair or gurney, and or accompanies ambulatory patients who need assistance, to various areas within the hospital including, clinics, diagnostic areas, and treatment areas. The incumbent observes patients continually while in the process of transporting.
  • Utilizes appropriate assistive devices to promote safety of patients and personnel. Ensures all devices are in good repair, sanitized, and functional prior to use. Maintains competency in safe patient handling and mobility to include hover mat and lifting devices.
  • Provides transport/escort services in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory manner, respecting the values and beliefs of members of all cultures. Recognizes personal ethical issues and respects the values and beliefs of others while providing patient care. Explains to patient where they are being taken and why (i.e., Xray, MRI, Angio, etc.).
  • Carefully observes patients who are on IV's or oxygen and reports this to nurse at destination. This includes observing oxygen tanks and replacing them with new tanks when they run low and observing IV's during transport and verbally reporting low IV's to nursing staff. The incumbent must know how to visually determine if the IV has become unattached from the patient, or if the IV bags are empty.
  • Notes and reports any changes in the conditions, behaviors, or demeanor of the patients to the appropriate personnel, or charge nurse, or staff nurse to which the patient is assigned. Recognizes signs of serious distress and emergently notifies clinical staff or proceeds directly to the emergency room.
  • Transports records and printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss or alteration.
  • Transports lab specimens in a timely manner and maintains a daily log of all transportation runs.
  • Performs all transportation duties after hours including the weekends. This involves assuming the responsibility of the Transportation Coordinator, responsible to answer calls from the transportation line and make assignments by prioritizing duties and tasks, patient needs, and considers deadlines and objectives. Recognizes problematic situations or incidents and reports up the chain of command.
  • Strip linens from bed and clean discharged patient rooms. Includes, cleaning bed rails, over bed table, beside stand, patient chair, call light, vital signs machine, removing trash from beside tables, and other requirements necessary to prepare a clean unit for a patient. Wipe down IV poles, and other medical equipment. Other non-technical duties as needed.
  • Prepare rooms of admitting patients on inpatient units, with blood pressure cuffs, scale, and other items as requested by nurse or charge nurse. Lowers bed to lowest level.
  • Provide transport services as needed ensuring theses tasks are recorded on the daily log of transportation runs.
  • Delivers food trays ensuring patient identification. Consistently observes all infection prevention measures with hand washing and by identifying isolation rooms. Identify and observe all other posted signs i.e. NPO, chemotherapy precautions. Reports to nurse prior to supplying any nutrition item not on the food tray.
  • Perform other similar duties of a simple nature associated with services to the patient and patients' immediate environment at the direction of the charge nurse or lead clinical personnel.
  • After hours, nights, weekends, and holidays or when transport is not available, transports patients via wheelchair or gurney, and or accompanies ambulatory patients who need assistance, to various areas within the hospital including, clinics, diagnostic areas and treatment areas.
  • Safeguards patient privacy (i.e., closed doors, pulled curtains, no unnecessary exposure) and confidentiality (secured medical records and computer workstations, no "hallway" conversations regarding patients, staff, visitors, etc.) Privacy and confidentiality of information are a right of patients

Work Schedule: Rotating tours
Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD14519A
Physical Requirements: Duties require extensive periods of sitting, standing, and walking. Requires regular and recurring bending, lifting (not to exceed 35 pounds), reaching, carrying, stooping, stretching and similar activities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • May serve a probationary period
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
  • 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.

Qualifications

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

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.

GS-04 grade level:
  • You must have 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-03 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Providing care to patients; maintaining cleanliness; use of assistive devices; providing transport/escort services . OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation. OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond 1 year above high school with course(s) related to the occupation.
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-XX. 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.

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.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

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 well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

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

Documents Required:
  • Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

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.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/10/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12755527.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

VISN 19 HR Contact Center
Address
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System
500 Foothill Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84148
US

Next steps

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.