Job Summary

**This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be December 9th, 2024, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.**

Job Description

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Education and/or Experience Combination: In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess: 1) A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g. laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.) AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree. OR 2) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g. blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory OR 3) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry), and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) above. This finding may be based on either of the following: (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to 3 be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree. (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination. Certification: All candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as an MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, and AMT. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Supervisory Technologist (a) Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience includes: Provides authoritative advice and consultation to management at all levels of the organization for more markedly difficult, complex, unique and/or emerging tests requiring special knowledge; Identifies, defines and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of the collected data; Advises on alternate testing to overcome ambiguities in the clinical diagnoses. Analyzes emerging trends and technology and adopts appropriate methods and testing. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting and regulatory requirements in order to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans and the ability to judge effectiveness of the operation. 2. Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or education and training of laboratory staff. 3. Knowledge of, and ability to, provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of staff; recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. 4. Ability to analyze organizational, technical and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient overall laboratory operation. 5. Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders and managers. 6. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs and administer the allocated budget. 7. Ability to set short and/or long term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, new technology, etc. Preferred Experience: Five (5) or more years of experience in all areas of the clinical laboratory (Generalist) in a medium/large medical center, including responsibility for assignment of work and familiarity with agency (CAP, TJC) requirements for accreditation. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurrent sitting, standing, walking, reaching and bending. Occasionally lifts heavy containers of supplies or equipment.