Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens. 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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Duties include but not limited to:

• Adjusts staffing levels and/or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation to meet workload requirements.
• Plans, directs, and assesses work of subordinate staff. Recommends appointments, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions as required.
• Plans and assigns work based on laboratory and/or test priorities, requirements of assignments, and abilities of employees; provides advice and counsel; and evaluates work of subordinates.
• Plans and executes orientation, training, and competency assessment of assigned staff and develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals for section.
• Responsible for day-to-day supervision of the histology lab and its daily functions including, but not limited to, specimen accessioning, processing, sectioning, routine histochemical, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical procedures, Moh's procedure, autopsy service and the cytopathology laboratory to ensure acceptable levels of performance.
• Establishes and monitors the quality improvement and quality assurance protocols of Histology and its personnel, initiates corrective actions as required when test performance deviates from established performance specifications in all the areas of the histology/autopsy/cytology labs.
• Implements and monitors quality management activities to ensure compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements.
• Performs the full range of supervisory duties to include the establishing and executing of performance and quality improvement projects in the section.
• Responsible for staying abreast of current histopathology policies, procedures, testing methodologies and there subsequent implementation.
• Maintains and monitors Histology supplies and stock levels. Requests replacement supplies as needed to ensure Histology operations.
• Responsible for maintaining Histology's compliance with Federal and State laws and regulations, as well as accreditation and regulatory requirements of the College of American Pathologists, Food and Drug Administration and the Joint Commission.
• Responsible for monitoring and ensuring staff compliance with accrediting and regulating bodies.
• Assigns some of these duties/tasks to the Lead Histopathology Technologist(s) within the laboratory section.

Work Schedule: 7:00am - 3:30pm Monday - Friday, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 02093F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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.
• 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 evaluation.
• 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

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:

• United States Citizenship: 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 in conventional U.S. programs.
• Certification. 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 inspoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations:
Supervisory Histopathology Technologist, GS-12:

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 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.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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 in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
4. All other applicants.

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.