Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all US Citizens. Note: Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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This Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist is in the Pathology and Laboratory Service at the VA Medical Center, Newington, CT campus. This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week.

GS-12 Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist Assignment:
This assignment is generally found in less complex facilities based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History. For all supervisory assignments, the CLS must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL that consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. The CLS must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-11 grade level. The supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The supervisory CLS ensures that orientation, training, competency assessment, and continuing education requirements are met. The individual ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements. The supervisory CLS establishes and monitors the quality of preanalytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective actions. This individual develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements. The supervisory CLS is responsible for professional and administrative oversight of operations, including fiscal and resource management. The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Compressed/Flexible:May be authorized at supervisor discretion.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VISN1EDRPSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Authorized.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PDF08021
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Notifications:

• This position is covered by a special salary rate.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position, title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (competitive or excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Selectee will be required to complete additional forms to proceed with employment process.

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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
  • Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
  • Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
  • Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.
    • NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).
  • Exception for Non-Certified:
    • Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of 4 the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency.
    • Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
    • Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL.
    • Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
    • Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.

Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

Foreign Graduates: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following:

• Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR
• The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.
  • NOTE: Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

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 Determination: Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist GS-12

Experience: 1 year of creditable experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required for all GS-12 assignments.

Assignment: This assignment is generally found in less complex facilities based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History. NOTE: Reference the GS-13 Supervisory CLS assignment to determine the most appropriate assignment for the laboratory. For all supervisory assignments, the CLS must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL that consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. The CLS must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-11 grade level. The supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The supervisory CLS ensures that orientation, training, competency assessment, and continuing education requirements are met. The individual ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements. The supervisory CLS establishes and monitors the quality of preanalytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective actions. This individual develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements. The supervisory CLS is responsible for professional and administrative oversight of operations, including fiscal and resource management. The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations and laboratory accrediting agency regulatory requirements sufficient to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory.
• 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.
• Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methods of clinical laboratory technology and operations.
• Skill in applying leadership principles such as interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.