Summary

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. This position is located at the Rapid City VA Clinic and is a part of the Black Hills VA Healthcare System. The incumbent serves as a generalist in Clinical Laboratory Science with responsibility for performing procedures in the areas of Specimen Collection - Chemistry - Hematology/Coagulation - Urinalysis - Immunohematology - and Microbiology.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Citizen of the United States
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below
• (a)Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT
• (b)Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT
• (c)Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT
• NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held
• Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including - Ancillary Testing Coordinator - Education Coordinator - Laboratory Information Manager - Quality Manager - Laboratory Manager - Regional Technical Specialist - National Quality and Compliance Agent - Regional Program Manager - Regional Director - Laboratory Director - or National Quality and Compliance Officer)
• Exception for Non-Certified
• (a) Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency
• (b) Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)
• (c) Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL
• (d) Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained
• (e) Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment
• Foreign Education: To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following: (1)Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency - and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program
• OR (2)The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination
• NOTE: Possession of a certification identified above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed
• Grade Determinations: Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-07
• (1) Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-09
• (1) Experience or Education
• Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below: (a) Experience
• 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• OR (b) Education
• Master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or a directly related science
• (2) Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing
• (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance principles
• (c) Knowledge of laboratory equipment and routine maintenance
• (d) Ability to work as a team member and effectively complete assignments
• (e) Ability to read and interpret written instructions
• (f) Ability to accurately perform pre-analytical - analytical - and post-analytical phases of testing
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-11
• (1) Experience or Education Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below: (a) Experience
• 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• OR (b) Education
• Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science
• (2) Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles - practices - concepts - and theories that support sound - independent work
• (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement
• (c) Skill in informatics - laboratory data flow - and laboratory processes
• (d) Ability to maintain - troubleshoot - and repair instrumentation
• (e) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results
• (f) Ability to read - interpret - and apply complex written instructions
• (g) Ability to communicate - consult - and interact with other members of the health care team - external relations - customer service - and patient education
• 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-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include - but are not limited to the following: - Communicates effectively and courteously while working as a healthcare team member - even under difficult conditions - fostering a professional - courteous - and effective manner of communication appropriate to the situation - including giving general direction and guidance
• Provides excellent service as defined by the customer (healthcare providers - patients - and others)
• - Evaluates the suitability of the specimen for analysis - requesting new specimens if determined to be unusable
• Prepares specimens for analysis - ensuring that the physiological state of the specimen properties is maintained
• - Selects - performs - evaluates and monitors the performance of test procedures using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols
• Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction
• locates and implements corrections
• - Performs quality control procedures on equipment - reagents - and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports
• - Calibrates - standardizes - adjusts and maintains instruments
• Verifies correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks and monitoring
• Identifies the cause of common problems and makes simple repairs
• Reviews completed work for clerical errors and unusual or unlikely results
• - Evaluates the validity of data in relation to the test system and accepted assay procedures
• Correlates quantitative data with patient data (i.e. - history - medications) to verify results
• - Performs additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal patient results
• Recognizes abnormal results that require immediate attention by the physician and reports them directly
• - Responsible for the generation of laboratory results from the work area into the laboratory computer system and for the editing and verification of the results recorded into the computer system
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:30pm
• The incumbent will rotate off-hours shifts - on-call - holidays and weekends as needed
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized