Clarification from the agency

Open to ALL US Citizens. Veteran's preference applies and considered first before other applicants. Facility Employees, VHA, HPTs may apply on announcement CBTC-12609727-25-TE.

Videos

Duties and responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Plans and schedules on-going work. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures.
• Chooses methods for achieving work goals, objectives, and management strategies.
• Day-to-day supervision of highly complex test performance.
• Is responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance.
• Assures corrective action is initiated when test performance deviates from established performance specifications.
• Assures orientation, training, and competency assessment of staff.
• Implements and monitors quality management activities.
• Performs the full range of supervisory duties. Recommends appointment, plans, and assigns work, gives advice and counsel, and evaluates work of subordinates.
• Demonstrates competency in performance of duties of subordinate staff and provides technical coverage as required to meet workload demands.

Work Schedule: 8am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday
Telework: Not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 41687F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
EDRP: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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.
• 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: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

English Language Proficiency. Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. 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:-Transcripts Supplied

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 in conventional U.S. programs.

Certification-Documentation Supplied. 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:

1. Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS); OR
2. 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.

Grandfathering Provision. All histopathology technologists employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series, who perform the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date (11/25/2019) of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.


Grade Determinations: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.


GS-12 Supervisory Histopathology Technologist

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.

Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws, regulations, and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory.
• Skill in communicating with individuals, in order to obtain the desired effect, ensuring compliance with established policies, regulations, and procedures.
• 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.
• 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.
• Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees, team leaders, and managers.
• 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.

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 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 pre-analytical 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.

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

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.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred based on Veterans' Preference.

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.