Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the Section, prepares work schedules and assigns duties to subordinates to assure efficient and timely performance of all tests and procedures.
• Directs the activities, work assignments and progress of subordinate employees in order to ensure that all incoming specimens are properly accessioned and analyzed and that all records are kept in compliance with applicable regulations.
• Coordinates the performance of CAP surveys and HQIP by technicians/technologists and pathologists in the Section, and prepares the appropriate work sheets for the Service Quality Assurance Manager.
• Establishes and supervises all quality assurance programs pertaining to Histology and the Morgue, such as daily internal quality control and external and/or regional quality control programs, instrument preventive maintenance programs and annual update of procedure manuals.
• Submits to the Service Quality Assurance Manager, a monthly report that summarizes the Unit's quality assurance activities and proposes plans to correct identified deficiencies.
• Investigates complaints from the hospital staff and pathologists concerning questionable results.
• Assures that all standards of the American College of Pathologists (CAP), The Joint Commission and VA Central Office are practiced at all times in the Section, and that the section will qualify for accreditation by CAP.
• Manages all routine personnel matters related to the unit, such developing performance standards; evaluating the work performance of subordinates for performance appraisals; competency assessment; scheduling; leave approval; awards; recruitment; and disciplinary actions.
• Interviews candidates for positions in the unit; recommends appointments, promotions, and reassignments to unit positions.
• Participates in succession planning and reviews human resource utilization.
• Authorizes procurement of the supplies, reagents, and consumables from appropriate contractors.
• Responsible for the maintenance of all required records and review of invoices to ensure that the section remains within budget.
• Responsible for implementing and monitoring the compliance of mandatory safety programs within the Section and provides recommendations for improvement of the safety programs to the Laboratory Safety Officer.
• Assures that all specimens are processed in a timely and efficient manner with a minimum amount of errors.
• Gives advice, counsel, and instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters.
• Hears and resolves minor complaints from employees; refers group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher level supervisor or manager; effects minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands and recommends action in more serious cases.
• Identifies and provides for training needs; and finds ways to improve production or increase the quality of work within the area of authority.
• Reviews all of the results for correctness as required by regulatory agencies (CAP, TJC, AABB, FDA), directs involved technicians/technologists in the correction of errors, and notifies attending physicians as appropriate.
• Provides technical guidance to technicians/technologists when problems occur.
• Designs daily workload monitoring and oversees the recording of proper workload by technicians/technologists (when applicable); verifies the quarterly LMIP report for the Section.
• Designs and prepares appropriate instrument maintenance logs, reviews these logs monthly, and assures that proper routine maintenance is being done by technicians/technologists.
• Writes and updates procedure manuals applicable to the assigned laboratory section.
• Evaluates and implements the use of new methodologies and instrumentation in the Section.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Telework: Available. Ad hoc, as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 95266-0
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

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 3 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.

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).

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.
Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The incumbent supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel, including at least one GS-11 subordinate in the performance of complex anatomic pathology testing in multiple specialties, such as Mohs testing, cytology testing, immunohistochemistry, molecular testing, or electron microscopy. The supervisor performs the full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the anatomic pathology laboratory, including responsibility for assignment of work performed; performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions; identification of continuing education and training needs; and resolving interpersonal issues. The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of the pre-analytical processes, as part of the overall laboratory quality management program, and initiates corrective action. The supervisor is responsible for fiscal matters, including budget execution, sets short-term and/or long-term goals, develops policies and procedures, manages document control, and develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements.

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 GS-12.

Physical Requirements: The work is performed in the anatomic pathology section of the laboratory within the Cleveland VAMC. Specimens are considered potentially hazardous and biohazard precautions must be followed. Use of toxic or caustic materials during procedures may be required. Personal protective equipment must be used. Safety regulations are followed as appropriate for each procedure and/or activity. Access to Material
Safety Data Sheets is provided. Accidents and/or potential safety hazards must be reported to the Supervisory Histology Technologist and/or facility Safety Specialist for investigation and follow-up.

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.