Medical Support Assistant (OA) Job in Inscription House, AZ

Vacancy No. IHS-25-KA-12683678-ESEP/MP Department Indian Health Service
Salary $36,825.00 to $52,426.00 Grade 4 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/9/2025 Close Date 7/22/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Inscription House, AZ


Summary

This position is located in the Outpatient Department of the Inscription House Health Center. The Inscription House Health Center is an Ambulatory Clinic facility under the jurisdiction of the Kayenta Service Unit. The Inscription House Health Center receives over 30,000 outpatient visits per year as a physically separated satellite facility of the Kayenta Service Unit.

Duties

  • Directs patients to patient registration for interview to obtain pertinent registration information and serves as a receptionist for Outpatient Department.
  • Schedules appointment for patients requested by outside facilities.
  • Provides interpretation/translation skills as necessary.
  • Participates in orientation of new providers and/or nursing staff and will be assigned on rotating basis to be responsible for taking minutes.
  • Identifies patients that are in need of update related to patient registration and files the results of various tests, and copies of referrals.
  • Answer, questions, and assists patients with phone calls, direct visitors to desired areas and/or departments.
  • Order supplies and equipment via electronic systems.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary/trial period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two-year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Confidential Financial Disclosure Form required.

Adherence to the IHS Employee Immunization Policy, SGM 21-04, and the IHS Circular 2016-04 requiring Measles and Rubella, and seasonal influenza immunizations for staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities OR an exemption request will need to be submitted.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks:

GS-04: Candidates at the GS-04 grade level must have 1 year of general experience and/or 2 years above high school.
General Experience or GS-04: Progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled.

GS-05: One (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to a GS-04 grade level OR four (4) years of Education above high school.

Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be Creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

Specialized Experience for GS-05: Examples include: Clerical duties related to patient referrals, admissions, and discharges and routes patient records according to established protocols, working independently in carrying out routine clerical duties, following policies and procedures, planning work, use good communication skills, performing record keeping, knowledge of timekeeping duties and government financial management system, experience with computerized data entry and information processing systems, greeting and providing assistance to patients and visitors, providing miscellaneous support to the department, Experience in scheduling patient appointments, retrieving patient charts, printing Health Summaries, stamping patient care encounter forms and appropriate charge tickets, and delivering to appropriate staff..

TYPING PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting experience or education requirements, applicants must provide evidence of their typing proficiency of 40 words per minute typing speed based on a 5-minute sample from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates. Certificates must not be over three (3) years old and must be on a business letterhead. This agency does not accept self-certifications. For current or former Navajo Area Indian Health Service employees who left within three (3) years, you may attach a copy of your latest SF-50 , Notification of Personnel Action, that indicates Office Automation (OA) next to your position title.

Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

There are no education requirements.

Additional information

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement.

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. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous 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.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

This position has promotion potential to the GS-05 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.

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.

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.

To determine if you are qualified for this position, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against the qualifications as defined in the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement and your responses to the assessment questions.
You will be further evaluated/rated based on the information provided in your resume (your resume must state specific duties that relate to this position) and your responses to the assessment questions to determine your competency in the following.

  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Health Claims Processor
  • Patient Registration
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Technical Competence


You will receive a numeric rating based on your responses to the assessment questionnaires. If after reviewing your resume and responses to the assessment questions, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration.

The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities. If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12683678. All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 07/22/2025, to be considered.

Required Documents

Resume: You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, annual salary, and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.

Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements:
Typing Proficiency Requirement Statement: In addition to meeting experience or education requirements, applicants must provide evidence of their typing proficiency of 40 words per minute typing speed based on a 5 minute sample from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates. Certificate must not be over three (3) years old and must be on a business letterhead. This agency does not accept self-certificate. For current or former Navajo Area Indian Health Service employees who left within three (3) years, you may attach a copy of your latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that indicates Office Automation (OA) next to your position title.
Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records. For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432. Refer to BIA-4432 link: https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/media_document/1076-0160_indian-pref_expires-1.31.25_508%28w.omb%29.pdf. When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy). To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf) along with the appropriate supporting documentation. For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.
Current or former Federal employee: Include your most recent SF-50 or if Reinstatement eligible include your Career SF-50.
Noncompetitive eligibles: Submit additional documents to prove your eligibility to apply to this vacancy.
Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application. You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.

You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 07/22/2025

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

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below.

  1. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
  2. Follow the prompts to upload your resume and/or supporting documents.
  3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly. .
  4. Complete the assessment questions.
  5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package.
The IHS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office (Navajo Area IHS Human Resources, NAVAO-JOBS@ihs.gov, and/or .) The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

For additional questions please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found here: http://www.ihs.gov/jobs/index.cfm?module=search&option=faq.

Agency contact information

Navajo Area IHS Human Resources
Address
Kayenta Service Unit
PO Box 368
Kayenta, AZ 86033
US

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line occupational questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.

If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, researches emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats.

~ ~ ~ Indian Health Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer ~ ~ ~


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


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