Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of the facility/CBOCs where this vacancy is located Overton Brooks VA Medical Center. 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 purpose of the position is to design, maintain and evaluate quality management and improvement systems that assure the medical reliability and timeliness of laboratory data in accordance with clinical, accrediting, and regulatory agency requirements. Provides guidance and serves as an authority on accreditation regulations. Develops guidelines, assesses laboratory effectiveness, establishes, and maintains quality assurance and performance improvement programs. Develops and recommends policies and procedures for the service requirements for laboratory general procedures and medical center memorandum.

Duties include, but not limited to:

• Responsible for designing, establishing, maintaining, evaluating, and reporting of a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement Program.
• Serves as an authority on inspection and accreditation requirements and regulations to all Labs.
• Conducts desk audits or site visits, when appropriate, to assess compliance with VHA regulations, accreditation agency regulations, and policy/procedures.
• Develops, recommends, and updates General/Administrative laboratory policy and procedure manuals in compliance with applicable VHA, Joint Commission, and accreditation requirements.
• Maintains an on-going relationship with the laboratory information manager and all laboratory supervisors to coordinate acquisition of appropriate data and narrative documentation of results of studies.
• Provides advice, counsel, instruction and interpretative guidance to supervisory personnel and other individuals on quality management matters, accreditation standards and regulations; including specific requirements regarding consolidated laboratories (such as standardization of policies and procedures throughout the system).
• Establishes processes to monitor compliance with policies, to identify patterns and/or trends and to ensure that findings from quality management activities and performance improvement initiatives are used to redesign systems to improve the quality.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, subject to change based on facility needs.
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 robert.knudson@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)
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 Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00805
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 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. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification. Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.

1. Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
2. Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
3. Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT

Grade Determinations: 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments.

Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Quality Manager), GS-12.

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

• Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices of medical technology sufficient to perform the full range of duties involved in planning, coordinating, and evaluating laboratory services.
• Knowledge of accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements pertaining to laboratory operations.
• Knowledge of laboratory operations and relationships to the organization. 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).
• Skill in applying laboratory quality control/assurance policies, procedures, and principles and safety practices and regulations.
• Ability to apply quality management performance improvement principles, methodology, and processes to develop and manage a clinical laboratory quality management program.
• Ability to apply statistical evaluation and analysis to quality assurance data and implement corrective actions when indicated.

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).

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.

Preferred Experience: Applicants should have a comprehensive knowledge of quality control and assurance procedures through accreditation programs such as Joint Commission (JC), College of American Pathologists (CAP), and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Applicants should also be knowledgeable of professional medical technology/clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories for independent work. Knowledgeable of innerworkings of the lab so the incumbent is able to interject applicable corrections or improvements of lab equipment to include maintenance, troubleshoot, and repair; able to independently analyze and interpret lab results; able to interpret and apply complex written instructions; and ability to effectively communicate and interact with others.

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.

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.