Clinical Laboratory Scientist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Veterans Administration (CA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EDRP eligibility

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Clinical Laboratory Scientist at the GS-11 level. The role encompasses independent operation of lab procedures, interpretation of results, and adherence to quality control standards.

Applicants must meet education and certification requirements and may qualify under grandfathering provisions. The position supports various lab sections, with potential for leadership duties and involvement in accreditation activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification options: MLS/MT as per ASCP BOC/AMT.
• Catestegorical or Specialist certifications by ASCP/AMT accepted for some roles.
• 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D.

Responsibilities

• Develop, perform, evaluate, interpret, and validate laboratory procedures and results.
• Maintain quality control and quality assurance per regulations.
• Coordinate with health care team and communicate results effectively.
• May supervise or coordinate lab activities as assigned.

Skills

Clinical lab science principles

Laboratory data management

Independent technical judgment

Troubleshoot instrumentation

Communication with health care team

Education

Bachelor's degree in medical technology or related

Certification: MLS/MT or ASCP/AMT options

PhD or 3 years graduate education (advanced degree)

Tools

Laboratory instrumentation

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.

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.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification. (1) 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). 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).

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. (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.
2. (2) If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted.
3. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
5. (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

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:

1. (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. (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 in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

Grade Determinations

Clinical Laboratory Scientist GS-11

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. OR
• (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.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

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

1. (a) Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
2. (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
3. (c) Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
4. (d) Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
5. (e) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
6. (f) Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
7. (g) Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the health care team, external relations, customer service, and patient education

Assignment

This is considered FPL for a CLS. A CLS at this level independently carries out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory. The CLS develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results in line with current laboratory regulatory requirements. The work performed may be in a variety of laboratory specialties such as chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hematology, and immunohematology. Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automated methods. In addition to routine testing, the CLS conducts quality control and routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting. The CLS correlates abnormal lab data with pathological states, determines the validity of test results, and the need for additional tests. Specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects may include laboratory safety officer, analyzer specialist, primary operator on new test systems, quality control specialist, supply control, and/or coordinator for the laboratory competency assessment or proficiency/survey program. This assignment may include limited duties in areas such as lab information management and ancillary testing. These tasks require a broad exercise of independent judgment and responsibility, including organizing and setting priorities with minimal technical supervision. The CLS assesses a situation, considers the options, and formulates an appropriate course of action. This assignment includes monitoring quality control systems and measures, collaborating in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and providing education for laboratory health care professionals and the public in a professional, courteous, and effective manner.

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.