Clarification from the agency

This job is open to all current employees at the Lexington VA Healthcare System and CBOCs aligned under Duty Station #596. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The incumbent serves as Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist in the Clinical Microbiology Section, ensuring that tasks, priorities, goals, needs, and achievements are coordinated with management. Also oversees the day-to- activities of the section, prepares administrative reports, and works as a clinical laboratory scientist in any section area as required.

Duties/Tasks

• The incumbent is responsible for the overall supervision of the Clinical Microbiology Section. Works in collaboration with employees to ensure tasks are completed and team priorities, goals, needs, and achievement are coordinated with management. Acts as a liaison to the supervisor and other team members, departments/divisions of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty.
• Reviews all the section results (including results from off-hour and weekend shifts) for correctness as required by the College of American Pathology (CAP), directs involved technicians/clinical laboratory scientists in the correction of errors, and notifies attending physicians as appropriate.
• Provides technical guidance to technicians/clinical laboratory scientists when quality control or instrument problems occur.
• Designs and prepares appropriate instrument maintenance logs, reviews these logs monthly, and assures that technicians/clinical laboratory scientist is doing proper routine maintenance. Prepares and updates procedure manuals in the section. Coordinates this effort with the supervisor and section director.
• Evaluates and implements the use of new methodologies and instrumentation in the section in conjunction with the doctoral directors.
• Is responsible for coordination and presentation of the training in the methods and techniques of the Section. Performs statistical analysis on quality control and quality assurance monitors. Provides training to clinical laboratory scientists in the use of new procedures and instrumentation in the section including the orientation and evaluating the competency of assigned staff.
• Ensures compliance all regulatory agencies such as CAP, JCAHO, and OSHA. Ensures the proficiency testing program is administered in a timely manner and used as an educational opportunity to improve quality of work performed. Documents exception reports and corrective actions.
• Maintains appropriate levels of supplies and reagents for the efficient operation of the section.
• Provides significant input and observations to the supervisor regarding the performance for those employees overseen.
• Assures that all employees under their oversight are aware of and abide by the appropriate hospital and laboratory safety regulations.
• Calibrates, standardizes, and adjusts instrumentation to ensure proper function; verifies correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks; and identifies the cause of common problems and makes simple repairs.
• Subject to working off-hour shifts, weekends, holidays, and in other sections of the laboratory as priorities shows as required.
• Responsible for maintaining the work area in a clean environment appropriate for the Section in which they are working.
• The Lead CLS communicates the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values.
• Performs any other duties which are in the best interest of patient care and deemed necessary by the supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 3:30 pm. Rotating Weekends.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 30822-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact Betsy Quinn, betsy.quinn@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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.
• 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

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.
• English Language Proficiency: CLS's must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options:
  • 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.

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).
Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Assignments. For all GS-12 assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the CLS at least 25% of the time. Candidates at this grade level are in one of the following assignments.
Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments.
GS-12 Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist KSA'S: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.
2. Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation.
3. Ability to develop procedures for new tests, and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations.
4. Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section.
5. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.
6. Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimen requirements and results.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

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.