Clinical Lab Scientist

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Hartford (VT); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EDRP eligibility

Education Debt Reduction Program

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs in Hartford, VT seeks a GS-11 Clinical Laboratory Scientist to perform clinical lab procedures in a certified lab, ensuring accuracy and safety.

This role requires meeting education requirements and certifications; eligibility for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) is available, with program details provided after appointment.

The position emphasizes quality control, data management, and collaboration with the healthcare team to support patient care.

Qualifications

• Must have 3 full years of graduate education or a Ph.D. in medical technology or related science.
• Proficient in laboratory quality control and quality assurance.
• Strong ability to interpret complex written instructions.

Skills

Clinical laboratory science principles

Quality control & assurance

Laboratory data flow & informatics

Independent technical judgment

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in medical technology or related field

Job description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• 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. 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). 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).

Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Foreign Graduates

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

GS-11 Clinical Laboratory Scientist

OR

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.

AND

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
• Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
• Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
• Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
• Ability to use independent technical judgement to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
• Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service, and patient education.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.