Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to the Public, IF you are internal to the VA please apply to Vacancy 11609803. Note that first consideration will be given to Internal VA employee's.

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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. 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. Learn more

FUNCTIONS/SCOPE OF DUTIES:

• Demonstrates the ability to balance responsibilities and works with a great deal of autonomy in performing responsibilities that include, but are not limited, to recording and monitoring attendance; supervising and assigning work to employees; monitoring workload and clinical testing volumes; monitoring quality assurance and quality management; and labor relations.
• Demonstrates the ability and skills to effectively supervise, direct, and manage a diverse staff. Incumbent appropriately establishes priorities, delegates responsibilities, and assigns tasks accordingly. Incumbent communicates priorities to staff for understanding and compliance with P&LMS policies and procedures, and accrediting agencies.
• Develops, coordinates and implements plans for providing training for subordinates. Clearly communicates training expectations, and ensures completion of orientation, training, and competency assessments.
• Incumbent demonstrates knowledge of Human Resources policies and procedures, including recruitment, high performance development model, performance-based interviewing and hiring, performance monitors, performance appraisals, employee recognition and promotion, adverse actions, timekeeping and leave, etc.
• Incumbent has a working knowledge of EEO, harassment, ADR, and affirmative action and know when to seek counsel regarding related issues; and is familiar with applicable union contracts and understands the grievance process and policies.
• Clearly communicates performance expectations and conducts performance reviews/appraisal ratings in a timely fashion. Provides mentoring, feedback, and coaching when needed; and recognition and or awards for high levels of performance.
• Ensures employees have appropriate supplies, equipment, materials to perform their jobs well. Monitors inventory levels to ensure adequate supply availability. Communicates with purchasing agent in a timely fashion to ensure needed reagents, and supplies are ordered to prevent any interruption of services.
• Serves as the Safety Officer for P&LMS and represents P&LMS on the Hospital Safety Committee to ensure all safety procedures and protocols meet all applicable accreditation requirements, including any local, state, and federal guidelines.
• Assures all employees work in a safe, clean, work environment and promotes these practices among all employees of P&LMS.
• Provides authoritative consultative services to management at all levels of the organization as it applies to safety management in a clinical laboratory setting.
• Develops and maintains any necessary safety in-service training programs.
• Identifies, defines and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of the collected data.
• Assists the Chief Medical Technologist with updates for the Safety Manual, Infection Control Policy, Exposure Control Policy, Tuberculosis Exposure Control Policy, and the Chemical Hygiene Plan.
• Incumbent remains current and can work all defined positions in the Clinical Laboratory to carry out day to day operations which include but are not limited to, routine testing, quality control, routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting.

Work Schedule: 12:00am - 8:00am
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact , Valarie Shields @valariesheilds2@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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: Medical Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Education and/or Experience Combination: (1) 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
  (2) 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 in organic 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
  (3) 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 in organic 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.
  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:
  (1) 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.
  (2) 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 a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, 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).
  Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience

Grade Determinations: GS-11
(a) Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the full performance level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled.
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 field.
In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Knowledge of Federal and state laws, regulations and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order 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 education and training of laboratory staff.
c. Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees, team leaders and managers.
d. 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.
e. Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long term goals and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, new technology, etc.
f. Knowledge of concepts, principles and methods of clinical laboratory technology and operations.


References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G24


The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.