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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-9 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds.

The Pathology Specialist position provides technical and administrative assistance, oversight, and coordination of all the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite in Anatomic Pathology Service. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinates Surgical Pathology functions, working independently to perform these high complexity functions, or in collaboration with one or more pathologists.
• Oversees and performs work in the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite to ensure proper processing of tissue samples, especially those requiring special handling.
• Monitors workflow, designs and implements new processes and procedures, evaluates outcomes and implements improvements.
• Maintains, develops, and participates in the development of up-to-date anatomical pathology protocols.
• Determines the appropriate triage of patient biopsy material for additional testing and uses judgment on the correct additional tests to apply to limited sample.
• Provides oversight of quality assurance functions to ensure the quality of technical work is performed.
• Prepares work areas for inspections and participates in internal, regulatory, safety and accreditation inspection processes.
• Assists in the teaching of residents and medical students.
• Develops policies and procedures for autopsy protocol, specimen grossing, frozen section procedures, morgue set up and supplies.
• Performs examination and processing of pathology specimens including fixing, gross examination, orientation, cutting and dissecting, photographing, and sectioning of patient autopsy, biopsy and surgical specimens.
• Accessions biopsy and surgical specimens and ensures that requisitions are properly completed, and that specimen containers, and cassettes are properly labeled.
• Addresses clinician/provider inquiries concerning autopsy and surgical cases.
• Assisting in setting up gross specimen conferences, such as the autopsy or brain cutting conferences.
• Assists pathologists, residents, and medical students in completing autopsies, lifting bodies from the stretcher to the table, in handling surgical instruments such as knives, saws, scaffolds, forceps, etc.
• Assists in the collection of fluids or tissue specimens for approved research projects, under supervision by the pathologists.
• Ensures the morgue and cutting room are properly supplied, maintains inventory and reports items to be ordered to the anatomic pathology manager.
• Develops, reviews and revises procedures in anatomic pathology.
• Ensures that anatomic pathology equipment is functioning properly and will take appropriate action when there is an equipment malfunction.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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. 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 dentification 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)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the following qualification requirements.

BASIC EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Requires Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

AND, to qualify for the GS-9 grade:
EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes providing technical and administrative assistance of pathology grossing areas, frozen section areas and an autopsy suite; serving as technical consultant and advisor to pathologists, laboratory managers/supervisors, medical staff (both local and external) regarding policies, procedures, and practices related to anatomic pathology. OR

EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree with major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. OR

COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of one full year of graduate education may be combined with experience.

To qualify for the GS-11 grade:
EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes coordinating surgical pathology functions, working independently to perform these high complexity functions, or in collaboration with the pathologists; performing work in the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite to ensure proper processing of tissue samples, especially those requiring special handling; monitoring workflow, designing and implementing new processes and procedures, evaluating outcomes and implementing improvements. OR

EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR

COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of two full years may be combined with experience.

Preferred Experience: A highly qualified applicant will demonstrate experience in a hospital pathology setting.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Communications
• Diagnostic Medical Testing
• Infection Control
• Quality Management

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.