Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all U.S. citizens. First area of consideration will be given to current, permanent employees of the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center & subsidiary CBOCs; and past/current/upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPTs) of related educational field. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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The Supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The supervisory CLS recommends appointments, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions. The CLS plans and assigns work based on priorities, requirements of assignments, and abilities of employees; provides advice and counsel; and evaluates work of subordinates. The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes, initiating corrective actions as needed as part of the overall laboratory quality management program. The Supervisory CLS plans and executes performance and quality improvement projects. The Supervisory CLS verifies orientation, training, and competency assessment of assigned staff and develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals. The Supervisory CLS ensures all staff and affiliate staff
comply with accrediting and regulating bodies. The Supervisory CLS adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level. This individual manages document control, develops performance standards, positions descriptions, and functional statements and is responsible for technical and administrative management of an assigned area including budget execution. The Supervisory CLS interacts with administrative and clinical onsite personnel and exercises significant independent decision-making authority. The Supervisory CLS maintains effective interdisciplinary and interprofessional relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.

The Supervisory Clinical Scientist serves over the Hematology, Coagulation, and Urinalysis sections of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.

Duties and tasks include, but are not limited to the following:

• Oversees daily operation of the section, ensuring that agency policies and priorities are followed, that all specimens are processed, assayed, and results are verified and released in a timely and efficient manner.
• Develops performance standards, communicates these standards and progress in meeting these standards to subordinates and evaluates the work performance of subordinates.
• Supervises the day-to-day operation of the section, prepares work schedules, and assigns duties to subordinates to ensure efficient and timely performance of all tests and procedures.
• The incumbent gives advice, counsel, and instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters. The incumbent hears and resolves minor complaints from employees and refers group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to the Lab Manager or Director as appropriate.
• The incumbent effects progressive disciplinary actions as necessary and informs laboratory management of all disciplinary action taken.
• The incumbent reviews and approves leave of subordinate employees as appropriate, ensuring minimal neccessary coverage of the area is maintained at all times.
• The incumbent interviews candidates for positions within the section and recommends appointments, promotions, and reassignments to positions. Performs reference checks and all other required hiring procedures.
• Identifies and provides for training needs and evaluates processes to identify ways to improve efficiency, production, cost-effectiveness, and quality of the section.
• Acts as a Contracting Officer's Representative and performs all duties required to establish and maintain required contracts within the section.
• Takes initiative to solve problems without assistance or transferring of responsibility unless justified.
• Maintains a positive attitude, willingness to work as part of a team and is supportive of coworkers. Collaborates and works well with others.
• Maintains accountability for tracking of all patient test results, slides, and paperwork appropriately and according to all applicable policies and procedures.
• Provides professional and effective training to new employees, students, medical students, residents, providers, nursing, and other healthcare employees. Maintains all employee training manuals and ensures all documentation is present for each employee and that employee certification is maintained as required by regulatory and medical center requirements.

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30 - 4:00pm
Compressed/Flexible:Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 93416-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact margaret.bordner@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 identification 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.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, ect.).
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
  • 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.
• NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following: (1) Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.
• Grandfathering Provision: 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).

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:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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

GS-13 Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

• General For all GS-13 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-13 assignments.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting, and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans, and judge effectiveness of the operation. (B) Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.
• Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Ability to analyze organizational, technical, and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient laboratory operation.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
• Ability to set short and/or long-term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

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

This position is at full performance level.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurrent standing to perform procedures and tests, walking between different areas within the laboratory and throughout the medical center. The work involves sitting at a microscope or computer, manual dexterity, visual acuity, color vision and the ability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time. Requires intermittent moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; both hands required; intermittent but possibly prolonged stooping and kneeling; ability to read and comprehend ordinary type and computer screens; ability to hear (aid permitted) and work in an environment with constant noise; working closely with others; high cognitive function required to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities without loss of accuracy; emotional stability required to maintain self-control in difficult and 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.

We encourage you to review your resume to ensure it is compliant with the requirements. You must include Employment periods in mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy format on your resume and indicate Full-Time or Part-Time (if Part-time, must include # of hours worked per week). AND, if you have held a Government position, that position's grade level MUST be listed on your resume.

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.