Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration will be current permanent Veterans Health Administration employees.

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The duties and responsibilities of the Team Leader Technologist include, but are not limited to the following:

• Maintain advance knowledge and rotates through all sections of the clinical laboratory while performing the full range of site-specific emergency and routine procedures in areas of chemistry, urinalysis, hematology, serology, bacteriology, and immunohematology. Must have the ability to exercise independent judgment and responsibility with minimal supervision.
• Maintains oversight of specimen procurement and send-out areas of the laboratory. Proactively reconciles incomplete lists and enters reports as needed. Directs phlebotomists and ensures adequate phlebotomy coverage in absence of supervisor.
• Assist all supervisors in preparing and responding to requests from hospital staff and regulatory agencies and may serve as a designee in their absence if requested.
• Monitors inventory and notify Supervisors of deficient volume.
• Recognizes methodology limitations such as linearity, interference, sensitivity, and specificity and considers these when drawing conclusions about the validity of testing results.
• Evaluates requested procedures to determine the suitability of specimen for analysis and requests new specimen if determined to be unsuitable. Performs advanced and complex laboratory procedures, recognizing deviation from expected results, analyzing and correcting problems using scientific principles.
• Prepares specimens for analysis, ensuring that the physiologic state of the properties is maintained. Prepares reagents and primary reference materials.
• Selects, performs, evaluates and monitors the performance of non-routine and specialized test procedures using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction; locates and implements corrections. Obtains analytical data (e.g., colored end points, digital readouts, tracings, patterns, and agglutinations), converts to pre-described units for reporting and correlates data to verify results. Writes laboratory reports (identifying sample, stating methods and results), reports results to appropriate individuals.
• Calibrates, standardizes, adjusts and maintains instruments. Verifies correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks (e.g., mechanical, optical, gasometric, photometric, electrometric, automated). Identifies the cause of common problems and makes simple repairs.
• Conducts quality control procedures on equipment, reagents and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports.
• Instructs medical technicians, veteran work-study students and others in routine laboratory techniques, equipment use, etc.
• On a rotating basis with other medical technologists and technicians, assumes complete coverage of all laboratory sections on the evening shift, night shift, weekends and holidays, requiring proficiency in all sections of the laboratory.
• Collects and prepares statistical data for the section assigned.
• Responsible for the generation of laboratory results from the work area into the laboratory computer system and for the editing and verification of the results recorded into the computer system.
• Performs other tasks as assigned

Work Schedule: 7am-330pm; Monday- Friday rotating weekends. Subject to change based on agency needs.
Functional Statement #: 619320
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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 and/or Experience Applicant's must meet one of the following requirements: 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, etc.). AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree. OR A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND Two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. OR, A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.
• Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) above. This finding may be based on either of the following: (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree. (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination.
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. NOTE: candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB) and blood bank (BB/SBB
• Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may be given a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed one year as a graduate medical technologist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). This appointment may not be extended. For grade levels above the full performance level, the candidate must be certified in accordance with paragraph 2d(1) above.
• Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, MTs must actively pursue meeting prerequisites for certification from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the MT with the written requirement to obtain certification, the date by which the certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within one year from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0644 MT series.

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.GS-10 Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled.

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

• Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles, and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques.
• Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems.
• Knowledge of the application of laboratory requirements.
• Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.

Team Leader. MTs at this level have professional oversight responsibilities of a laboratory team . The team leader facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities and goals are coordinated with laboratory management. The incumbent also provides technical advice to staff and other health care members and oversees work assignments and work flow. The team leader is responsible for ensuring that staff follow all policies and procedures and is a subject matter authority when there are questions of a technical or professional nature. The incumbent may be responsible for reporting personnel absences and may be responsible for staff schedules and other assignments delegated by the departmental supervisors.

Preferred Experience: A Generalist Medical Technologist with at least one year independently performing testing in Chemistry, Hematology & Blood Bank as a Medical Technologist II.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24, MEDICAL TECHONOLOGIST QUALIFIACTION STANDARDS.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 lbs; Moderate carrying,15-44lbs; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (2 hours), Standing (2), Both legs required, Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Specific visual requirement (Good), Both eyes required (one eyes only, far vision corrected).

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, résumé, 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.

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.