Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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Duties

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This position works with the Microbiology lab.

Technical Duties:

• Performs a broad range of laboratory procedures including all testing and tasks of the medical laboratory technologist occupation. In addition, performs advanced and complex laboratory procedures recognizes deviation from expected results; analyzes and corrects problems using scientific principles. Implements policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing.
• Accurately performs pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of testing and analyze and interprets laboratory tests.
• Evaluates and solves problems related to collection and processing of biological specimens for analysis considering physiologic processes and requirements.
• Maintains and documents the optimal functioning of laboratory equipment.
• Performs and documents quality control and assurance activities and corrective actions related to test performance using statistical principles and theories of performance improvement.
• Adheres to practices and regulations governing biosafety and biosecurity in the workplace.
• Maintains, troubleshoots, and repairs instrumentation.
• Maintains complete and accurate department records (quality control, routine equipment maintenance, temperature monitoring, patient testing, shift hand-off logs, daily, weekly, and monthly checks, and others as defined by each department).
• Answers inquiries regarding test results, methodology, test specificity, test sensitivity, and specific factors, which influence test results. Interprets results and suggests follow-up test selection or procedures.
• Evaluates and implements new techniques and procedures in the laboratory in terms of equipment, method comparison, and establishment of reference intervals using statistical methods and theoretical knowledge.
• Communicates effectively and courteously while working as a healthcare team member.
• Organizes work and sets priorities to meet deadlines.
• Shall conform to all VHA and local directives related to safety, life safety, health, hazardous materials and emergency management directives.
• Provides advisory services to technicians, technologists, and other healthcare professionals.

Equipment/Supplies/Facilities:

• Serves as primary operator on new and established test systems and assumes responsibility for maintenance and troubleshooting per procedure. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction.
• Prepares reagents, primary reference standards and controls as needed.
• Calibrates, standardizes, adjusts, and maintains instruments for testing .
• Verifies proper operation of instruments using established quality control procedures and
• checks to ensure accurate test results are reported.
• Assists in quality control review and input of QC data into offline system for submission of peer group data and validation of new QC when assigned.
• Identifies the cause of instrument malfunctions and troubleshoots equipment repairs if possible.
• Performs semiannual and annual checks on various instruments including pipette calibrations, linearity, method comparisons, precision, and accuracy.
• Performs validation/method verification studies for new systems as assigned .
• Assists in monitoring laboratory stock and notifies management of possible inventory shortages .
• Maintains laboratory in a clean and safe condition according to facility, agency, and/or accreditation requirements.

Work Schedule : 4-10 hours shifts, 6:00am-4:30pm, rotating weekends and holidays.

Compressed/Flexible :Available

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66 .

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 60656A, 60657A, 60658A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 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 . A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

OR

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

1. The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.

NOTE: Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

• Certification . (1) Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.

(a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.

(b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.

(c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.

• English Language Proficiency . Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• Exception: Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency. (Note applicants who do not meet the certification requirement may be given a temporary appointment not to exceed 2 years to obtain certification).
• Grandfathering Provision . 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.

Grade Determinations :

Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-07

• Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-09

Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below:

(a) Experience . 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

OR

(b) Education . Master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or a directly related science.

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • (a) Knowledge of policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing.
  • (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance principles.
  • (c) Knowledge of laboratory equipment and routine maintenance.
  • (d) Ability to work as a team member and effectively complete assignments.
  • (e) Ability to read and interpret written instructions.
  • (f) Ability to accurately perform pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of testing.

Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-11

Experience or Education Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below:

(a) Experience . 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

OR

(b) Education. Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science.

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities . In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • (a)Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
  • (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
  • (c) Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
  • (d) Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
  • (e) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
  • (f) Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
  • (g) Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the health care team, external relations, customer service, and patient education.

Preferred Experience: Experience reading microbiology culture plates, setting up antibiotic susceptibility testing, gram stains, and molecular testing (PCR). At least one year of micro experience preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS7 to GS11.

Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform moderate lifting up to 20 lbs., straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers and both hands, walking, standing for up to 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, use of both arms and legs. Specific visual requirements include use of both eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and shades of colors, hearing (aids permitted), clear, high cognitive function and emotional stability; ability to read ordinary type without strain.

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.