Cytotechnologist

Summary

This position is located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service within the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR.

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Duties

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If you ARE a current VA or federal employee, apply under CBST-12960790-26-KMS

The duties of the Cytotechnologist in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service include but are not limited to:

• Performs highly specialized work with the responsibility for distinguishing various benign conditions from dysplasia/neoplasia and identifying a variety of infectious agents.
• Examines a variety of specimens for cytological examination to include but are not limited to respiratory tract material, gastrointestinal material, urological material, body fluids, gynecologic smears, cerebrospinal fluid, and fine needle aspirations of various organs and body sites.
• Examines and evaluates cell samples for the presence or absence of normal/abnormal, patterns, presence of microorganisms, inflammatory reactions, endocrinopathies, benign changes, premalignant changes, neoplasms, and cellular responses to therapeutic agents.
• Performs microscopic examination for abnormal cells or any objects of diagnostic significance and marks these cells or objects for review. Classifies any abnormalities according to established procedures and writes a screening cytology report to be given to the responsible pathologist.
• Signs out Gynecological cases without pathologist review.
• Teaches Cytotechnology students by providing interaction on a one-to-one basis at the microscope.
• Maintains continuing education requirements and keeps abreast of the latest developments in the field of cytotechnology/cytology by reviewing current publications, and attending meetings, seminars, teleconferences, and workshops. Evaluates and recommends possible new techniques/procedures for implementation.
• Maintains current CAP certification requirements by successfully completing the CAP PAP Examination annually.
• Order supplies and maintain adequate inventory for uninterrupted service in the Cytology area.
• Sets up and develops protocols for new instruments and procedures from well stablished references.
• Develops and tests quality control methods using statistical data where indicated.
• Advises providers, ward and clinic personnel on proper specimen collection techniques.
• Communicates with providers, ward and clinic personnel when specimens are improperly submitted.
• Maintains cytology slide files and handles slide request in-house and from outside facilities according to established procedures.
• Prepares statistical reports using quality control data recorded in accordance with established procedures.
• Prepares and maintains the cytology chemical inventory and reports to the P&LMS Safety Officer.
• Selects, performs, evaluates, and monitors the performance of the full range of nonroutine and specialized procedures/techniques using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction; locates and implements corrections.
• Makes professional decisions on the appropriate method of collection and handling of specimens including selecting the appropriate portion of the specimen for processing and the type of preparation method to be used.
• Resolves discrepancies and calls wards/clinics/providers as needed. Reviews information provided on the requisition sheet and specimen container and determines if additional data is required prior to logging the specimen into the VISTA computer system.
• Prepare and analyze samples, such as Papanicolaou (PAP) smear body fluids and fine needle aspirations (FNAs), to detect abnormal conditions.
• Performs the duties of cytology specimen preparation and staining. Cleans and disinfects cytology areas and equipment.
• Assists the clinician at bedside with the preparation of fine needle biopsy slides to determine immediate evaluation for adequacy.
• Carefully monitors the processing and quality of all preparations. Conducts quality control checks on stains and reagents, making changes when necessary.
• Adjusts, maintains, or repairs all cytology equipment. Determines need for repair or replacement of equipment.
• Verifies proper instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks as necessary. Identifies the cause of common problems and makes simple repairs.
• Disposes of biohazard material and biological specimens after determining proper disposal protocol.
• Prepares fixatives, reagents, etc., as needed for specimen handling and cytology preparatory work.
• Performs histopathology duties to include gross examination of tissues and submission for examination by pathologist.
• Maintain effective laboratory operations by adhering to standards of specimen collection, preparation, or laboratory safety.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. subject to change based on needs of veteran care continuity.

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 564-00109-F

Recruitment Incentives : Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Fi nancial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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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 ( 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).
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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 Graduates . 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.

Grade Determinations :

Cytotechnologist, 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.

Examples of creditable experience include but not limited to independently review 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, issue and verify the final diagnosis for negative gynecologic specimens; prioritizes, prepare and process all specimens for cytodiagnostic and immunohistochemical testing in compliance with the guidelines of regulatory agencies, instruct others on the proper collection methods and transportation of specimens and determines acceptability of patient samples for processing, perform routine maintenance of equipment using standard operating procedures.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities .

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

i. Ability to independently determine specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endobronchial Ultrasound, and other Fine Needle Aspiration procedures.

ii. 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.

iii. Skill in collecting, compiling, and analyzing data for quality assurance, statistics, trends and reports, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.

iv. Skill in researching, testing, validating, and implementing new procedures and equipment.

Preferred experience: Strong knowledge of cellular morphology, diagnostic criteria, and standardized testing methods. Candidates should have hands-on experience preparing and evaluating gynecologic and non-gynecologic specimens, applying special stains, and accurately identifying precancerous, cancerous, and infectious cellular changes. The ability to work independently, manage workflow in a cytology section, and maintain high-quality laboratory practices is strongly desired.

References: VA Handbook 5005/126, Part II Appendix G61, Cytotechnologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: 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.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.