About this role

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. Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT. Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.

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. Loss of Credential: If an employee fails to maintain the required certification, management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately remove the employee from duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation.

This may also result in separation from employment. If a CLS currently has, or ever had, their CLS certification revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status, HR Office staff must appoint them according to the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16. Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements. 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: 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 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 in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed. 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: Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-14. (1) General. For all GS-14 assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the CLS at least 25% of the time. Candidates at this grade level are in one of the following assignments. 2) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-14 assignments.

(a) Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Laboratory Manager), GS-14. The supervisory CLS serves as the Laboratory Manager (Lab Manager) and shares with the chief of laboratory service/medical 22 FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: Part II Appendix G24 EFFECTIVE DATE: December 3, 2024 director full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of laboratory service operations where at least three of the five following criteria are met outlined below in (A) - (E): (A) The Laboratory is a complexity level index group 1 or group 2 based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History.

(B) The Laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program). (C) The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel including at least one GS-13 subordinate. (D) Lack of on-site pathologist/Chief with oversight of a large staff (typically >20 employees). (E) The CLS oversees additional services (for example, Radiology, Sterile Processing, other).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodologies of a major clinical laboratory program and operations to assess program effectiveness and provide authoritative guidance for operations, personnel, and management. Skill in administrative management such as budgeting, contracting, procurement, and property management in accordance with organizational (for example, VHA) regulations.

Ability to collaborate with other departments and upper management in a medical center or health care setting or higher-level managers in regional or national offices such as VISN-level staff and VHA Central Office staff. Ability to plan and execute short- and long-range programs and/or goals through project management and tactical/ strategic planning. Ability to provide advisory, planning, and surveillance services to clinicians, laboratory directors, and supervisors on specific functions, programs, or problems that are particularly difficult, widespread, or persistent.

Ability to solve complex problems involving unique or controversial aspects of medical technology or laboratory management, new or unconventional methods, program changes or conflicts between scientific/technological requirements and regulatory or program requirements. Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-14. Physical Requirements: Light Lifting (under 15 pounds); Light Carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; Both hands required for fine-manipulation and simple grasping; walking (up to 8 hours); standing (up to 8 hours); sitting (up to 8 hours); near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish shades of color.

Source listing: usajobs