Intermittent Health Technician- Community Living Center

This is an open continuous announcement that is open until December 31st, 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

The VA New Jersey Healthcare system is currently recruiting for multiple Health Technician Positions located within our Community Living Center at our Lyons Campus. The Health Technician performs a range of technical, administrative, and patient care duties as assigned by the RNs within a long term care setting.

Clinical Activities: The incumbent operates and supports providers and Registered Nurses in designated clinical area using diagnostic and therapeutic medical instruments/equipment including Electrocardiogram, Spirometry, Visual Acuity Screening, and Bladder scan according to established procedures and with documented competency. Locates and sets up equipment needed for complex diagnostic procedures. Operates, calibrates, and maintains medical instruments and equipment. Serves as a unit resource for cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of non-critical, semi-critical, and critical Reusable Medical Devices. Gathers screening data on patients admitted to the hospital to include fall risk, allergies, current medications, homelessness, abuse, means and mode of arrival, danger to self or others, and exposure to communicable diseases. Recognizes and informs appropriate multidisciplinary health care team of deviations from baseline screening parameters. Performs phlebotomy in designated areas. Performs 1:1 patient observation according to policy. Assists nurses and physicians in the care and treatment of critically ill and emergent patients. Performs standardized treatment procedures requiring considerable training and experience such as performing pharyngeal suctions, setting up and regulating the flow of oxygen, or analyzing pulmonary waveforms, application of basic orthopedic splints. Care and treatment of patients with acute and chronic mental health conditions.

Personal Patient Care: The incumbent performs a wide variety of duties aimed at increasing the comfort and spirit of the patient including transporting 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. Performs simple personal care duties such as bathing and demonstrates nursing standards for patient hygiene including bathing, oral, nail, and hair care. Assist patients with toileting needs, providing incontinent care. Perform basic nursing care that requires knowledge of standardized procedures such as performance of active/passive range-of-motion activities, ensuring that catheters and oxygen cannula are maintained intact, etc.

Administrative Duties: The incumbent schedules procedures, provider evaluations, and coordinates appointments with other services. Perform administrative tasks and manage medical support functions for clinic or practice, such as maintaining control records for specimens and tests and documenting measurements taken. Documents treatments and procedures that they have conducted in the electronic medical record. Orders and maintains specialized supplies needed for equipment and instruments used in assigned unit.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Multiple shifts available- Will be discussed during Interview
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Intermittent Health Technician- Community Living Center/PD49476A and PD49476A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/31/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-06:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS 05, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

1. Collecting patient specimens (such as venipuncture/phlebotomy, finger sticks, urine, or sputum) using proper technique and ensuring accurate labeling for laboratory analysis.
2. Assisting patients with activities of daily living (ADLs), including bathing, feeding, grooming, toileting, and mobility.
3. Promoting infection prevention and control through consistent use of standard precautions and proper hand hygiene.
4. Accurately documenting patient care, vital signs, or procedures performed in an electronic health record.
5. Observe patients and report changes to higher level medical staff.
6. Experience with diagnostic and/or therapeutic instruments.

NOTE: Such experience MUST be well represented in resume. Failure to do so will results in a Non-Qualification Determination

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/.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education (unofficial transcript accepted).

One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.

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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• 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.