Clarification from the agency

This is an external job announcement. Current, permanent LTC Charles S Kettles VA Medical Center and CBOC employees, current permanent VA employees from another facility, and current permanent employees from another Federal Agency MUST apply under this announcement. An external announcement will open with the announcement number CBSR-12563694-24.

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Include, but are not limited to:

• Must be able to fulfil the duties listed in the GS-11, Supervisory Histopathology Technologist grade level.
• Work with the Mohs technologist and provides oversight for the Mohs testing program.
• Applies professional knowledge of the principles, practices, and established methodology of Anatomic Pathology (AP) areas sufficient to perform the full range of testing required to develop and modify methods that are used in AP.
• Acts as an AP technical consultant and provides continuing education and guidance to the laboratory staff, physicians, pathologists, and others as needed. Provides technical advice on problems and provides suggestions for improving or expanding the established methodology of the AP Section of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service.
• Utilizes knowledge of regulatory, licensing, and accrediting agency requirements, and statutes governing the clinical laboratory operations enough to use in planning, implementing, or monitoring laboratory programs and services. These include federal and state laws, laboratory accrediting and regulatory requirements sufficient to develop section plans and procedures consistent with requirements.
• Works closely with the Chief, Lab Manager, and leadership to provide a variety of needed AP information for their use. Assists in updating the laboratory portion of the medical center infection control manual.
• Develops operating procedures for all methods that are included in the AP procedure manual yearly using the CLSI format. Updates the AP Section procedure manuals and AP safety manual.
• Recommends, evaluates, develops, and implements new or modified methodologies for which established methods and practices may or may not be available. Reviews the AP section work performed, corrects errors and notifies attending physicians as appropriate. Reviews staffing needs and work performed in the AP Section for accuracy, precision, trends, and timely completion of results.
• Provides and applies management, administrative, and professional knowledge sufficient to successfully oversee and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in the AP areas. Monitors production requirements, turn-around times for laboratory results and other continuous performance improvement initiatives.
• Designs, develops, organizes, and evaluates quality control programs to meet the criteria of College of American Pathologists (CAP) proficiency testing program. Assures that all proficiency testing meets certification criteria set by CAP. Also, assures compliance with other accrediting agencies such as The Joint Commission (JC) and CLIA.
• Develops an alliance with the MDCH for Laboratory Preparedness, bioterrorism, and Health Alert Network. Also, examines and investigates complaints from the hospital staff concerning questionable results and works closely with the quality assurance technologist.
• Utilizes knowledge of AP diagnostics and AP laboratory instrumentation, and possesses the ability to perform maintenance, troubleshoot problems, and repair complex laboratory instrumentation and maintain equipment documentation required for CAP.
• Prepares work assignment schedules and assigns duties to subordinates to assure efficient and timely performance of tests.
• Provides adequate coverage for the AP Section by proper control of annual leave and sick leave usage.
• Provides technical oversight and assigns personnel and special projects to be accomplished in a manner that assures completion of workload. Demonstrates the ability to plan, organize, set priorities, works as a team leader, and effectively completes management assignments within assigned timelines.
• Demonstrates knowledge of specimen requirements for tests performed in-house and those tests referred to reference laboratories.
• Applies knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties in the AP sections and maintains a high level of skill in applying this knowledge in solving very complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Training-Service Agreement and Mobility Agreement required.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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:

• Citizenship. Candidates must be a United States citizen.Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education. Individuals must meet one of the requirements below:(1) Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university, leading to a bachelor's or higher degree, that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist, such as, but not limited to clinical biology, microbiology, physiology, pre-medical, medical lab technology, chemistry, immunology, physiology, anatomy; OR, (2) Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both); OR, (3) Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education, leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist, such as clinical biology, microbiology, physiology, pre-medical, medical lab technology, chemistry, immunology, physiology, anatomy.
• 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 inconventional U.S. programs.
• Certification. (1) Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification. The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam:(a) Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS); OR, (b) One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation, embedding, microtomy, processing, and staining in a histopathology (clinical, veterinary, industry, or research) laboratory.
• English Language Proficiency. Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

• Experience. Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled.
• Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The incumbent supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel, including at least one GS-11 subordinate in the performance of complex anatomic pathology testing in multiple specialties, such as Mohs testing, cytology testing, immunohistochemistry, molecular testing, or electron microscopy. The supervisor performs the full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the anatomic pathology laboratory, including responsibility for assignment of work performed; performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions; identification of continuing education and training needs; and resolving interpersonal issues. The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of the preanalytical processes, as part of the overall laboratory quality management program, and initiates corrective action. The supervisor is responsible for fiscal matters, including budget execution, sets short-term and/or long-term goals, develops policies and procedures, manages document control, and develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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) Skill in communicating with individuals, in order to obtain the desired effect, ensuring compliance with established policies, regulations, and procedures.
  • (c) 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.
  • (d) Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program, and/or education and training of the laboratory staff.
  • (e) Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees, team leaders, and managers.
  • (f) Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long-term goals, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including fiscal matters, budget execution, personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

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, resume, 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.