Cytotechnologist

Veterans Health Administration; Bay Pines (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bay Pines VA Medical Center, part of the Veterans Health Administration, seeks a Cytotechnologist to perform highly complex diagnostic testing in cytopathology. Applicants must meet basic requirements including US citizenship and English proficiency.

Education must include a regionally accredited bachelor’s degree and completion of an ASCP-accredited cytotechnology program. The role emphasizes quality management, data analysis, and procedure validation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited college/university.
• Completion of an ASCP-accredited cytotechnology program.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform and monitor cytopathology testing and procedures.
• Prepare smears, fix slides, and stain specimens as part of cytotechnologist duties.
• Research, test, validate, and implement new procedures and equipment.
• Analyze data for quality assurance and contribute to quality improvement initiatives.

Skills

Specimen adequacy assessment

English proficiency

Quality management

Troubleshooting procedures

Education

Baccalaureate degree

Cytotechnology program accreditation

Tools

Electron microscope

Job description

The Bay Pines VA Medical Center is a general medical and surgical facility classified as a Level 1A complexity institution.

It is a teaching hospital that provides a full range of patient care services supported by state-of-the-art technology.

The Cytotechnologist is a certified laboratory professional who performs highly complex diagnostic testing on human specimens for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease within the specialty of cytopathology.

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. English Language Proficiency. Cytotechnologists must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education.

Individuals must have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university and successfully completed a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accredited cytotechnology program.

Foreign Education.

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

Certification:

Candidates must currently possess the Cytotechnologist (CT) (ASCP) or Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) (ASCP) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification.

Grandfathering Provision.

All cytotechnologists employed in VHA, in this occupational series, performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. 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 to the position. 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 Experience. The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-9) that is directly related to the position to be filled.

Assignments.

For all assignments above the journey level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At the advanced level, the cytotechnologist independently performs and monitors processes such as smear preparation, slide fixation, cell block preparation, monolayer filtration processing, and staining. If a discrepancy is identified with these processes, the cytotechnologist will troubleshoot and take corrective action. The cytotechnologist may act as a technical resource in writing and establishing new processes or procedures. The cytotechnologist performs a full range of specialized tasks, including collecting, compiling, and analyzing data according to the laboratory quality management program. The cytotechnologist uses these laboratory data to implement any needed quality improvement initiatives. The Cytotechnologist will research, test, validate, and implement new procedures and equipment.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

1. 1. Ability to independently determine specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endobronchial Ultrasound, and other Fine Needle Aspiration procedures.
2. 2. Knowledge of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes to establish and monitor the overall laboratory quality management and quality control program, and initiate corrective action as needed.
3. 3. Skill in collecting, compiling, and analyzing data for quality assurance, statistics, trends and reports, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.
4. 4. Skill in researching, testing, validating, and implementing new procedures and equipment.
5. 5. Ability to perform ultrathin microtomy and operate an electron microscope. Knowledge of microanatomy sufficient to note ultrastructural and microchemical findings.
6. 6. Ability to convey knowledge of safety regulations and guidelines such as CAP, JC, and OSHA, and to ensure staff compliance with safety requirements, including continuing education and employee orientation.
7. 7. Knowledge and skill to plan and administer an ongoi