Clinical Laboratory Scientist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Hot Springs (SD); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Clinical Laboratory Scientist at GS-07/09/11 to perform comprehensive laboratory testing across pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical stages. The incumbent will ensure quality control, interpret complex procedures, and work closely with a health care team.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens with a bachelor’s degree or higher and hold MLS Generalist, MT Generalist, or Categorical/Specialist certification per ASCP/AMT guidelines.

Qualifications

• Citizen of the United States.
• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification options include MLS Generalist, MT Generalist, or Categorical/Specialist per ASCP/AMT.

Responsibilities

• Perform pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of testing.
• Apply laboratory quality control and quality assurance principles.
• Read, interpret, and follow complex written instructions.
• Collaborate with health care team and maintain instrumentation.

Skills

Laboratory skills

Teamwork

Reading instructions

Quality control principles

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

MLS Generalist certification (ASCP BOC or AMT)

MT Generalist certification (ASCP BOR or AMT)

Categorical/Specialist certification (ASCP/AMT)

Job description

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

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

Basic Requirements

• Citizen of the United States.
• A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• 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

• (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.
• (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.
• (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.
• (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.