Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to US Citizens NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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Cytotechnologists are solely responsible for: reporting the microscopic interpretation of normal pap smear tests used to detect cervical cancer; providing preliminary interpretation of specimens from other body sites; and collaborating with pathologists to diagnose benign and infectious processes, precancerous lesions, and malignant diseases. He or She facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals and achievements are coordinated with management.

Major duties and responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:

• The cytotechnologist independently performs and monitors smear preparation, slide fixation, cellblock preparation, monolayer filtration processing, and staining. If a discrepancy is identified with these processes, the cytotechnologist will troubleshoot and take corrective action.
• Prioritizes, prepares, and processes all specimens for cytodiagnostic and immunohistechemical testing in compliance with the guidelines of the regulatory agencies.
• Selects appropriate procedures and prepares specimens to ensure high quality preservation and morphology.
• The cytotechnologist independently reviews clinical data of patients and evaluates 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.
• Attends clinical Fine Needle Aspirations to collect/prepare specimens and determine adequacy for diagnostic.
• Prepares slides and uses both conventional and special rapid processing methods.
• Screens from 80 to 100 slides per day identifying cells and marking abnormal cells for the pathologists.
• Suggest diagnosis and consultations with the pathologist or unusual cases.
• Review cases with staff physicians, dental and medical residents. Teaches medical students and others who are interested.
• Participates in QMPI activities by maintaining a file of cytology results to compare with the histopathology findings, diagnosis and correlates results.
• Cross-trains Histopathology technicians in the preparation of slides.
• Performs routine maintenance of equipment using standard operating procedures.
• Performs a full range of specialized tasks, including collecting, compiling, and analyzing data according to the laboratory quality management program.
• Reports diagnostics, concise microscopic conclusion, and diagnosis to pathologist in accepted cytopathologic terminology.
• Maintain effective quality assurance by demonstrating through tabulating and correlating all histologic, cytologic and clinical information for GYN and non-GYN specimens.
• Conducts quality control procedures on reagents and products and maintains accurate test results that are professionally accurate daily.
• Keeps abreast on new developments by reading technical and professional journals, attending professional meetings and workshops and then incorporates these methos for use in the laboratory.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 14540F
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

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.
  • Loss of Certification. An employee who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

Creditable Experience To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and other characteristics, also referred to as core competencies; be associated with the scope of cytotechnologist practice equivalent to at least the next lower grade level; be directly related to the position being filled; and may be paid or non-paid employment.

Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, a cytotechnologist employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time work week of credit for each two weeks of service.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-11 Experience: The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-9) that is directly related to the position to be filled.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs:

• Ability to independently determine specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endobronchial Ultrasound, and other Fine Needle Aspiration procedures.
• 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.
• Skill in collecting, compiling, and analyzing data for quality assurance, statistics, trends and reports, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.
• Skill in researching, testing, validating, and implementing new procedures and equipment.

Preferred Experience: An applicant with at least 2 years of experience is preferred.

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-11, which is the grade at which an applicant may be selected for.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. Most of the 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. A smaller portion of work is performed in a laboratory environment where safety precautions, such as standard precautions, and the use of personal protective equipment are required.

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.