Emergency Medical Technician

Summary The Paramedic responds to on-site accidents and other emergencies involving injury and illnesses, sometimes encountering situations which may be life threatening. The Paramedic administers basic and advanced life support care at emergency scene in accordance with established medical standards, which may include providing advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), international trauma life support (ITLS), PALS, PEPP, advanced airway management, CPR, and/or drug treatments. Learn more about this agency Duties 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. Requirements 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/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. 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/. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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.