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Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Department of Health and Human Services
Indian Health Service
Various locations across the Agency

Summary

Make a difference where it matters most! Join the Indian Health Service as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist providing vital, life-saving diagnostics to American Indian communities. Advance your career, enjoy competitive benefits, and be part of a mission that transforms lives every day. Apply today!

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Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/02/2026 to 05/04/2026
Salary
$72,849 to - $94,706 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Chinle, AZ
Inscription House, AZ
Kayenta, AZ
Parker, AZ
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Certain locations may authorize for reimbursement of relocation expenses or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Multiple - The majority of positions to be filled under this announcement are permanent. This announcement may also be used to fill time-limited appointments such as TERM and Temporary.
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules - The majority of positions to be filled under this announcement are full-time. This announcement may also be used to fill various work schedules, including full-time, part-time (less than 40 hours per week), and intermittent (as needed).
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
11 - Not all locations may have promotion potential to the GS-11 level. Contact the locations you are interested in to verify promotion potential
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This position may or may not be covered by a bargaining unit, depending on the duty location. Final determination will be made at the time of appointment.
Announcement number
IHS-26-HQ-12866491-ESEP/MP
Control number
856276300

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Duties

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Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job:
Clinical Laboratory Scientist Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)

  • Performs general laboratory tests - Conduct routine, well-defined clinical tasks (chemistry, microbiology, hematology, immunology, molecular diagnostics, etc.) using manual and automated techniques to support patient diagnosis and treatment.
  • Ensure quality assurance and control - Perform and document quality control procedures on all equipment, reagents and other products; maintains records as required by policy and accrediting standards.
  • Implement laboratory procedures - Prepare specimens for analysis; evaluate requested procedures to determine suitability of specimens; follows instructions to calibrate or standardize laboratory instruments, and prepare required reagents and media.
  • Provide technical support - Assist laboratory personnel in the performance of duties and learning new functions in order to develop and maintain laboratory skills.
  • Maintain laboratory operations and compliance - Observes safety and infection control requirements to contribute to health, safety, and accreditation policies.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
This position may be covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. A service agreement will be required.

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

IHS Selectees that will work in an IHS health care facility may be subject to Employee Health Policies related to Measles and Rubella, and seasonal influenza immunizations. Vaccine exemption requests may be available according to the National and/or Service Unit guidance.

On-call hours or standby duty may be required. Position may be subject to rotating shifts: days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays..

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement:

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):

Education:
A. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

OR

B. A full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post- bachelor's certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology.

OR

C. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids. This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable.
AND
In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:


Your resume must demonstrate the following education and/or experience as outlined below. Any specialized experience must be equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the tasks as identified.

GS-07: Completion of 1-year of graduate level education in (1) the general field of medical technology, (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology, or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology.

OR

One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: assist senior technologist in preparing reagents; assist with performance of routine laboratory tests; follow procedures to ensure quality control; and use basic laboratory equipment and instruments.

OR

A combination of graduate education and specialized experience that when combined; fully meet the minimum qualifications as described above for this grade level. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for the GS-07 grade level.

OR

Completion of a 4-year course of study in a relevant field leading to a bachelor's degree at an accredited college/university AND meet one of the following requirements for Superior Academic Achievement: (1) Graduated with at least an overall GPA of 2.95; (2) Graduated with at least a 3.45 GPA in the major or during the last two years of college; (3) Graduated in the top third of my class; OR (4) Membership in a national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.

Click on the following link to view occupational requirements for this position: 0644 Clinical Laboratory Science, Professional and Scientific
Positions.


Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cut-off day of rating to be eligible for consideration.

Education

This position has a basic education requirement and you may qualify for the GS-07 with education. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration. For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps, visit the website at: https://www.usphs.gov/.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

Not all locations may have a promotion potential to the GS-11 level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

  1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
  2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
  3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
  4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
  • Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
  • However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
  • You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Financial Suitability Requirement:
This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is an Open Continuous Announcement. There MAY NOT be immediate vacancies at all locations. You will be limited to selecting no more than 5 locations during the application process and will only be considered for the locations you select. Eligible applicants will be referred out as vacancies occur.

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

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.
To ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, IHS uses a multi-hurdle assessment process. Each "hurdle" must be passed before moving to the next step. This helps us evaluate applicants based on job-related qualifications, competencies, and experience.
Below is what applicants can expect:
1. Minimum Qualifications Review - Hurdle 1
HR reviews your resume to confirm you meet the eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position (education and/or licensure (if applicable), listed above).
Note: the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications.
If you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications, you move to the next hurdle.
2. Technical Assessment (Subject Matter Expert Resume Review) - Hurdle 2
A panel of subject matter experts (SME) will review your resume to determine whether you clearly show the required specialized experience listed below.
Note: SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).
This assessment is Pass/Fail.
Applicants who demonstrate the required experience will advance.
Having knowledge of standard and accepted theories, methods, principles, practices, and techniques of mental health and substance use disorder. Provide counseling, guidance and assistance to incoming and outgoing patients and their families. Experience with the intake process and aftercare coordination.
Demonstration of these specialized experience statements ascertain your competency in the following:

  • Medical Equipment
  • Medical Technology
  • Technical Competence


Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12866491.

The first cutoff date will be February 9, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST. Future cutoff dates will be each Wednesday thereafter at 11:59 pm EST until the closing date.
Your application will remain active for 90 days from the submission of application.

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