Health Technician (Anesthesia) Opportunity at Defense Health Agency (Fort Hood, Texas)
Healthcare professionals looking to make a meaningful contribution to military readiness and patient care have an exceptional opportunity at the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The agency is actively recruiting for a Health Technician (Anesthesia) at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, located in Fort Hood, Texas.
This position provides critical assistance in perioperative and surgical environments, supporting certified anesthetists during complex medical procedures, managing anesthesia equipment, and ensuring strict quality standards. Positioned within the GS-06 grade level, this role offers a competitive salary package ranging from $45,409 to $59,031 annually, along with comprehensive federal employee benefits.
About the Defense Health Agency & Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is a joint, integrated combat support agency that enables the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force medical services to provide a medically ready force and a ready medical force to Combatant Commands in both peacetime and wartime. Serving more than 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide—including active-duty service members, military retirees, and their families—the DHA operates a global healthcare network dedicated to high-quality clinical care.
Located at Fort Hood, Texas, the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center is a state-of-the-art military treatment facility. It delivers modern emergency care, surgical care, inpatient hospital services, and specialized outpatient care to soldiers and their dependents. Working at Darnall Medical Center places health technicians at the heart of military medicine, where patient safety and operational excellence are top priorities.
Key Job Responsibilities
As a Health Technician specializing in Anesthesia, you will play a key clinical support role before, during, and after surgical procedures. Your day-to-day duties will encompass medical technical support, equipment oversight, supply management, and direct patient interaction:
- Direct Anesthesia Assistance: Assist the anesthetist by passing specialized instruments, needles, intravenous (IV) solutions, and sterile spinal medications during surgical setups. Help safely position patients prior to and following procedures.
- Patient Identification & Safety Checks: Verify patient identification, document drug and environmental allergies, and ensure all personal effects and jewelry are removed before administering IV fluids or initiating anesthesia.
- Blood Handling & Administration: Retrieve blood and blood components from the blood bank or clinical refrigeration units. Verify blood identity, attach blood recipient tubing to warming equipment, and assist the anesthetist during blood transfusions.
- Equipment Sterilization & Maintenance: Clean, disinfect, sterilize, and store reusable anesthesia devices and instruments using strict aseptic practices. Clean anesthesia machines and maintain workroom orderliness.
- Equipment Quality Control: Act as the Quality Improvement Equipment Control Officer. Maintain thorough documentation of device inspections, biomedical maintenance logs, checkout procedures, and equipment malfunctions.
- Supply Procurement & Vendor Coordination: Procure non-standard clinical supplies, interface with equipment vendors, coordinate product demonstrations, collate evaluation forms, and negotiate terms for specialized medical items.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
To qualify for this GS-06 position, candidates must meet specific federal qualification criteria. Please note that educational substitution is not permitted for this job series and grade level.
Specialized Experience Requirements
Candidates must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service. Qualifying specialized experience includes:
- Assisting clinical staff during the anesthesia administration process.
- Handing specialized instruments and medications to anesthetists.
- Monitoring and assisting patients during recovery from anesthesia.
- Maintaining perioperative healthcare equipment and sterile environments.
General & Administrative Conditions
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship is mandatory.
- Drug Testing: Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test is required.
- Probationary Period: A one-year probationary period must be served upon hiring.
- Selective Service: Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
- Mission Essential Status: You will be designated as mission-essential staff, requiring you to report during severe weather, emergencies, or contingency operations.
- Resume Page Limit: Your resume must be two pages or fewer. Resumes exceeding two pages will be automatically disqualified.
Salary Overview & Compensation Structure
The position is graded as GS-06 under the General Schedule federal pay scale. Salary includes applicable base pay plus the local market supplement for Fort Hood, Texas.
General Schedule GS-06 Compensation Details
| Pay Grade | Annual Minimum (Step 1) | Annual Maximum (Step 10) | Work Schedule | Direct Hire Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-06 | $45,409 | $59,031 | Full-Time (Permanent) | Yes (Direct Hire Authority) |
Incentive Note: A recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized for eligible candidates. Additionally, newly hired federal employees may be eligible for salary step negotiation based on superior qualifications.
Comprehensive Federal Benefits
Federal employment with the Defense Health Agency offers a total compensation package that extends far beyond base pay:
- Health Insurance: Choice among numerous fee-for-service, POS, and HMO plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program.
- Dental & Vision: Supplemental coverage through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).
- Retirement Pension: Coverage under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), providing a defined benefit annuity upon retirement.
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Tax-advantaged retirement savings account with automatic 1% agency contribution and up to 5% total agency matching.
- Paid Time Off:
- 13 to 26 days of paid annual leave per year (based on service duration).
- 13 days of paid sick leave per year.
- 11 paid federal holidays.
- Life Insurance: Coverage options through Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI).
Practical Application Tips
Navigating federal job applications requires attention to detail. Follow these strategic tips to maximize your chance of referral:
- Respect the 2-Page Limit: This announcement strictly enforces a maximum resume length of two pages. Longer resumes are automatically rejected by HR software.
- Detail Work History Fully: Include exact start and end dates (Month/Year), position titles, employer names, and hours worked per week for every entry.
- Use Explicit Keywords: Clearly demonstrate experience with blood warming devices, anesthesia machine maintenance, vendor pricing negotiations, and patient positioning.
- Avoid Jargon & Acronyms: Write in clear, concise plain English. Human resources specialists evaluating your file may not be clinical practitioners.
- Sanitize Uploads: If uploading supporting documents like military orders or certificates, obscure third-party personal details to protect privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How will my application be evaluated? A: Because this position uses Direct Hire Authority, eligible applicants who meet basic minimum qualification requirements are referred directly to the hiring manager for consideration without traditional competitive ranking scores.
Q: Is relocation assistance offered for moving to Fort Hood? A: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses are not authorized for this position.
Q: Is telework or remote work an option? A: No. Anesthesia technicians perform hands-on clinical duties in surgical facilities; therefore, telework and remote arrangements are not eligible.
Q: Can I apply if I am not a U.S. Citizen? A: No. You must be a United States citizen to hold this federal position.
The Health Technician (Anesthesia) position at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center represents a rewarding federal healthcare career path in Fort Hood, Texas. If you possess hands-on technical experience supporting surgical and anesthesia teams, submit your streamlined, two-page resume through USAJOBS before the closing date on November 6, 2026.
Why This Health Technician (Anesthesia) Job Matters
Advance your clinical career supporting military readiness as a Health Technician (Anesthesia) at Fort Hood's premier medical facility.
Health Technician (Anesthesia) Job Overview
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is seeking a qualified Health Technician specializing in Anesthesia to join the clinical team at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. In this vital GS-06 Direct Hire role, you will work alongside anesthetists, ensuring clinical efficiency, maintaining specialized life-support and surgical equipment, managing medical supplies, and providing direct support during patient recovery. This position offers competitive federal compensation, comprehensive health benefits, and a direct path to serving active-duty service members, veterans, and military families.
Requirements for Health Technician (Anesthesia)
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- At least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-05 grade level assisting with anesthesia procedures and patient recovery.
- Education substitution is not permitted; qualifications must be met through specialized work experience alone.
- Must pass a pre-employment drug screening.
- Must complete a one-year probationary period upon appointment.
- Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must fulfill Selective Service registration requirements.
- Position is designated as Mission Essential, requiring attendance during emergencies or natural disasters.
- Submitted resume strictly must not exceed two pages in length.
Preferred Qualifications for Health Technician (Anesthesia)
- Experience managing biomedical equipment logs, maintenance checks, and quality assurance control.
- Demonstrated proficiency in vendor management, negotiating pricing, and procuring non-standard medical supplies.
- Hands-on experience preparing and operating blood warming systems and obtaining blood products from blood banks.
- Thorough working knowledge of aseptic technique, sterilization procedures, and perioperative safety protocols.
Federal Benefits & Perks
- âś“Competitive salary within the General Schedule (GS-06) pay scale with locality adjustments.
- âś“Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) with extensive plan choices.
- âś“Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).
- âś“Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with up to 5% agency matching contributions.
- âś“Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity pension.
- âś“13 to 26 days of paid annual leave plus 13 days of paid sick leave yearly.
- âś“11 paid federal holidays per year.
- âś“Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for eligible candidates.
- âś“Potential salary negotiation for individuals newly entering federal service.
đź’ˇ How to Apply Health Technician (Anesthesia) Job & Insider Tips
Application Steps for Health Technician (Anesthesia) Job
- Log in or create an account on USAJOBS.
- Draft a targeted federal resume limited strictly to two pages or fewer.
- Access the official vacancy announcement and click the 'Apply' button.
- Complete the online questionnaire detailing your specialized clinical experience.
- Attach mandatory supporting documents, including your resume and optional cover letter or performance evaluations.
- Verify that all attached files have cleared system virus checks.
- Submit your complete application package prior to 11:59 PM Eastern Time on November 6, 2026.
đź’ˇ General Tips
- Keep your resume to two pages or less; any resume exceeding this page limit will result in immediate disqualification.
- Clearly outline employer names, job titles, exact start and end dates (Month/Year), and weekly hours worked for all relevant positions.
- Explicitly detail experience directly related to anesthesia support, such as passing instruments, handling blood products, and maintaining surgical equipment.
- Avoid using obscure internal jargon or unexplained acronyms in your resume text.
- Ensure any uploaded military or personal documents are sanitized to remove third-party personal details before submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the annual salary range for this Anesthesia Health Technician position?
The position pays between $45,409 and $59,031 annually at the GS-06 level, depending on experience and step placement.
Can I substitute my college degree for the required experience?
No. For this specific position, qualifications must be met entirely through specialized experience. Education cannot be substituted.
What is the resume page limit for this application?
Your resume must be two pages or fewer. Resumes that exceed two pages will be removed from consideration.
Where is the position located, and is remote work allowed?
The job is located at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. Remote work and telework are not available, as this is an on-site, Mission Essential position.
Is relocation expense reimbursement available?
No, payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or relocation costs is not authorized for this position.