Clarification from the agency

This is an INTERNAL ANNOUNCEMENT and is limited to current, permanent employees of the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and current permanent VA Nationwide employees. Employees of other federal agencies and U.S. citizens should apply to announcement number CBSY-12975029-26-KAH. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Reviews clinical data of patients, relate data to microscopic findings, and evaluate all cytology preparations by light microscopy for the presence or absence of cellular patterns, presence of micro-organisms, inflammatory reactions, endocrinopathies, benign changes, pre-malignant changes, neoplasia, and cellular responses to therapeutic agents.
• Renders preliminary cytodiagnosis to issue and verify the final diagnosis for gynecologic specimens interpreted to be negative.
• Applies knowledge of processes and procedures to prepare all specimens for cytodiagnostic and immunochemistry testing, as well as filtration methods, preparation, fixation, and staining of slides.
• Instructs others on the proper collection methods and transportation of specimens, and determine acceptability of patient samples for processing.
• Independently determines specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endobronchial Ultrasound, and other Fine Needle Aspiration procedures.
• Applies knowledge of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes to establish and monitor the overall laboratory quality management and quality control program, and initiate corrective action as needed.
• Applies skills in collecting, compiling, and analyzing data for quality assurance, statistics, trends and reports, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.
• Applies skills in researching, testing, validating, and implementing new procedures and equipment.
• Conveys knowledge of safety regulations and guidelines such as CAP, JC, and OSHA, and to ensure staff compliance with safety requirements, including continuing education and employee orientation.
• Applies knowledge and skill to plan and administer an ongoing continuing education program for the laboratory to meet accreditation standards.
• Applies skill to maintain and troubleshoot computers and laboratory system instrumentation.
• Appropriately reflexes testing for those samples which require it.
• Recognizes samples which are unsuitable for testing.
• Applies laws, policies, precedents, regulatory, licensing, and accrediting requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain the specialized testing.
• Designs workflow to accomplish objectives in the Cytology Laboratory.
• Operates, verifies, and maintains correct instrument operation for all equipment in the Cytology Laboratory using established procedures and quality control checks in accordance with College of American Pathologists, Joint Commission and VHA guidelines.
• Assures the preventive maintenance of Cytology Laboratory equipment is performed.
• Prepares reagents.
• Tracks quality measures and report findings to the technical supervisor.
• Manages method and equipment validation and verification.
• Ensures compliance with rules and regulations of assorted regulatory agencies such as CAP, Joint Commission, and OSHA. Complies with requirements of all VA oversight groups such as OIG, VA National Enforcement Office, etc.
• Responsible for all proficiency testing and educational program activities for the Cytology Laboratory.
• Develops and modifies methods, procedures, and techniques, manages document control, and appropriate record retention.
• Responsible for inventory management ensuring the Cytology laboratory has all the necessary supplies.
• Conduct studies and supports research activities within and outside the department.
• Directs workflow and reports concerns section supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; Daytime Hours; No weekends/holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to clearly demonstrate your experience in your application package may result in disqualification. All applicants are encouraged to submit responses to each Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSA) on a separate document.

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 have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university and successfully completed a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accredited cytotechnology program.
• 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 Cytotechnologist (CT) (ASCP) or Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) (ASCP) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
• English Language Proficiency: Cytotechnologists must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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: 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 to the position, the following provisions apply:

1. Cytotechnologists that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Cytotechnologists 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.
3. Cytotechnologists initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
4. Cytotechnologists who were retained in this occupation, under this provision, and subsequently leave the occupation, lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

Cytotechnologist, GS-11

Experience: The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 level that is directly related to the position to be filled which includes but not limited to:

1. Ability to review clinical data of patients, relate data to microscopic findings, and evaluate all cytology preparations by light microscopy for the presence or absence of cellular patterns, presence of micro-organisms, inflammatory reactions, endocrinopathies, benign changes, pre-malignant changes, neoplasia, and cellular responses to therapeutic agents.
2. Ability to make a preliminary cytodiagnosis to issue and verify the final diagnosis for gynecologic specimens interpreted to be negative.
3. Knowledge of processes and procedures to prepare all specimens for cytodiagnostic and immunochemistry testing, as well as filtration methods, preparation, fixation, and staining of slides.
4. Ability to instruct others on the proper collection methods and transportation of specimens, and to determine acceptability of patient samples for processing.
5. Knowledge of the standards of regulatory agencies, such as those of Joint Commission (JC), College of American Pathologists (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to ensure compliance with requirements and guidelines.
6. Ability to perform routine maintenance of laboratory equipment according to standard operating procedures.
7. Skill in prioritizing workflow/specimen triage.

AND

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

1. Ability to independently determine specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endobronchial Ultrasound, and other Fine Needle Aspiration procedures.
2. Knowledge of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes to establish and monitor the overall laboratory quality management and quality control program, and initiate corrective action as needed.
3. Skill in collecting, compiling, and analyzing data for quality assurance, statistics, trends and reports, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.
4. Skill in researching, testing, validating, and implementing new procedures and equipment.

Preferred Experience: Experience in a cytology laboratory preferred.

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

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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.