Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Clarksburg (WV); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking a Medical Technician for the Core Laboratory at the VA Medical Center in Clarksburg. The role involves performing a variety of laboratory tests and ensuring quality control in a fast-paced environment. Candidates must have relevant certifications and experience, demonstrating the ability to work independently and manage complex lab equipment.

Qualifications

• Must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level.
• Knowledge of concepts, principles, and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Perform technical procedures including automated chemistry panels and blood banking.
• Ensure testing accuracy and quality with minimal supervision.

Skills

Knowledge of laboratory IT systems

Ability to troubleshoot and repair complex lab equipment

Ability to work independently

Education

Certification as an MLT

Job description

This position is located in the Core Laboratory of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center. The Medical Technician is responsible for performing a wide range of emergency, routine, complex, and specialized test procedures in Clinical Chemistry, Coagulation, Hematology, Blood Bank, Microbiology, and Urinalysis with minimal on-site supervision. These procedures range from basic screening tests to DNA amplification.

Duties

The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center provides acute, intermediate, and long-term care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays. The Medical Technician is required to work regular and irregular hours, including evenings or nights, to ensure laboratory coverage in the absence of a supervisor.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

LABORATORY TESTING 75%

The Medical Technician performs technical procedures including but not limited to automated chemistry panels, blood banking, complete blood counts, coagulation tests, urinalysis, body fluid analysis, peripheral smear evaluation, point-of-care testing, and special studies. They are expected to be proficient in various testing areas with little to no supervision, possibly during off-tours, independently.

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification.
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizations:
  • (a) American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP): ASCP, Board Certification or Board of Registry
  • (b) American Medical Technologists
  • (c) American Association of Bioanalysts

Grade Determinations

GS-07 Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician (Above Full Performance Level):

Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below. Assignment-specific KSAs are designated with an asterisk (*) and are only required if that task is required of the position.

Experience equivalent to GS-6 includes:

• Sample collection, evaluating and communicating test results
• Performing day-to-day lab operations with minimal supervision ensuring testing accuracy and quality
• Providing pre-analytic instructions for specimen collection and processing
• Processing techniques like centrifugation, aliquoting, storage, and labeling
• Operating and maintaining laboratory instrumentation for analyzing body fluids
• Analyzing lab findings and discussing results with medical professionals

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs i. - iv. and the advanced KSA(s) as indicated by the asterisk(s):

• i. Knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology, regulatory, and medicolegal requirements
• ii. Skill in applying new scientific/technical developments
• iii. Ability to work independently on complex processes
• iv. Ability to troubleshoot and repair complex lab equipment
• *v. Knowledge of laboratory IT systems and troubleshooting
• *vi. Ability to convey safety regulations and guidelines
• *vii. Ability to plan and administer continuing education
• *viii. Ability to assist with quality management activities

Assignments involve higher responsibility for technical oversight, performing difficult tasks, advanced operation, training, troubleshooting, and possibly acting as key operators for specific instrumentation. Advanced duties may include tasks related to laboratory information systems, safety coordination, education, and quality management, with corresponding KSAs.

Reference

For more information, visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.

Physical Requirements

The work involves standing, walking, sitting at microscopes or computers, manual dexterity, visual and color acuity, intermittent lifting, carrying, use of fingers, stooping, kneeling, reading, hearing, and working in noisy environments. It requires emotional stability and high cognitive function to work efficiently in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.