SUPERVISORY CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Grand Junction (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs in Grand Junction, CO is recruiting a Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (GS-12) under an Open Continuous Announcement. Eligible applicants may apply to fill vacancies as they arise through the end date noted.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science and current certification; leadership responsibilities are included in the role. Candidates must meet VA requirements and be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science or related field.
• Two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience within last ten years.
• Certification as MLS/MT or higher per ASCP/AMT requirements.

Skills

Laboratory leadership

Quality management

Regulatory compliance

Supervisory skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science

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.

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 28th, 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be November 16th, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. ***

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: MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

Education and/or Experience Combination

• A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.).

AND

• Completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree.

OR

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course inorganic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics.

AND

• Two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification(ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.

OR

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course inorganic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics.

AND

• Five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.

OR

• Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) above. This finding may be based on either of the following:
  • A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree.
  • A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination.

Certification

Candidates must have either (1) or (2) below:

• (1) Candidates must currently possess the appropriate 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.
• (2) For positions up to the full performance level, candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB)and blood bank (BB/SBB). Technologists with categorical or specialist certifications may only perform duties within the area of the laboratory specific to their categorical certification (e. g., an individual with a chemistry (C) certification can only perform duties in chemistry).

Grade Determinations

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-12.

Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments.

And

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

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

(A) Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations and laboratory accrediting agency regulatory requirements sufficient to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory.

(B) Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.

(C) Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methods of clinical laboratory technology and operations.

(D) Skill in applying leadership principles such as interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.

(E) Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

(F) Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long-term goals, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

(G) Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.

Reference:

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

Physical Requirements:

The incumbent must be able to perform moderate lifting up to 45 lbs., straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers and both hands, walking, standing for up to 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, use of both arms and legs. Specific visual requirements include use of both eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and shades of colors, hearing (aids permitted), clear, high cognitive function and emotional stability; ability to read ordinary type without strain.