Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

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 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) 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 For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions (2) If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified GS 12: Experience 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) experience includes: independently carrying out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory, develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results in line with current laboratory regulatory requirements The work performed may be in a variety of laboratory specialties such as chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hematology, and immunohematology Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automated methods This experience is required for all GS-12 assignments Assignments For all GS-12 assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the CLS at least 25% of the time Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (A) Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice (B) Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation (C) Ability to develop procedures for new tests, and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations (D) Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section (E) Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training (F) Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimen requirements and results Preferred Experience: Minimum of 5 years of direct experience as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, with a strong background in hematology, including automated CBCs, differentials urinalysis and Coagulation Prior lead or supervisory experience in a clinical laboratory setting, preferably in hematology or core lab operations Experience in contract management, including vendor relations, procurement of laboratory supplies/reagents, and oversight of service agreements (inferred from the requirement not explicitly stated in the search results but aligns with common VA and laboratory lead roles) Bachelors degree in Medical Technology, Clinical Laboratory Science, or a related field from an accredited institution certification such as MT(ASCP), MLS(ASCP), or equivalent is preferred Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain strong attention to detail in a fast-paced environment Strong critical thinking and analytical skills for troubleshooting instrumentation, interpreting complex results, and ensuring quality control Experience with quality assurance, regulatory compliance (e.g., CAP, Joint Commission), and proficiency testing Experience training and mentoring staff, including onboarding, competency assessments, and continuing education Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with physicians, technologists, and multidisciplinary teams Familiarity with laboratory information systems (LIS) and basic computer applications relevant to laboratory operations Knowledge of inventory management and experience maintaining adequate supplies and reagents for the hematology section Ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member, providing direction and guidance to other technologists Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit II Appendix G24 ]]]]>