About this role

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: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C.

7402(d), and 7407(d). Education and/or Experience Combination: You must possess 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 You must possess 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 have 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 You must possess 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 have 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.

Certification*: You must possess either (1) or (2) below: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. OR For positions up to the full performance level, candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB) and blood bank (BB/SBB).

Technologists with categorical or specialist certifications may only perform duties within the area of the laboratory specific to their categorical certification (e. g., an individual with a chemistry (C) certification can only perform duties in chemistry). *Exception - For assignments up to the GS-9 level, non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may be given a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed one year as a graduate medical technologist under the authority of 38 U.S.C.

§ 7405(c)(2)(B). This appointment may not be extended. Candidates currently completing their education and clinical practice program may be considered for employment but cannot be appointed to a temporary appointment until completing the minimum education and clinical practice program. 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 Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11), which is directly related to the position to be filled. AND Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): Your experience must demonstrate the following KSA's: GS-12 Ancillary Testing Coordinator (ATC) : Knowledge of medical technology concepts, principles, practices and methodologies sufficient to perform the full range of maintenance of technical, quality assurance and safety accreditation/testing programs.

Skill in applying new scientific/technological developments and theories to laboratory testing and a grasp of complex laboratory testing issues. Knowledge of mathematics and statistics as related to quality control, quality assurance, proficiency testing, inspection and accreditation, and continuous quality improvement. Knowledge of the types of surveillance, ability to collect data necessary to monitor variables that affect quality of services, and skill in evaluating, interpreting and teaching others to use quality control procedures and implementing corrective actions.

Knowledge of Federal, VHA, and state laws, regulations, reference standards, medicolegal responsibilities, and certifying and accrediting agency requirements in order to carry out the work in each ancillary testing site. Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and inter-connectivity. 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 will be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Source listing: usajobs