Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Summary

About the Position: This position is located at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with the Director for Clinical Support, Department of Pathology, Core Lab in Bethesda, Maryland. The incumbent will serve as lead technologist.

Evening Shift from 1500-2330. May require rotating shifts and weekend/holidays.

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

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Duties

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• Serves as Lead Technologist for the evening shift for the Core Laboratory, overseeing Chemistry, Hematology, Coagulation, and Urinalysis sections.
• Accounts for Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement oversight and support.
• Reviews Core Laboratory Performance and Improvement reports, identifies trends, and provides analytical assistance; recommends policy changes based on review findings.
• Evaluates the quality of laboratory services and processes, the adequacy of equipment, personnel and working accommodations through on-site inspections, audits, and/or review of reports.
• Acts as a technical resource, answers staff questions, and provides ongoing training or mentorship.
• Identifies training needs and arranges for training as appropriate.
• Assists the lab manager or supervisor, stepping in during their absence and giving input on performance reviews.
• Reviews Section Performance Evaluation and Improvement reports, identifies trends, and provides analytical assistance; recommends policy changes based on review findings.
• Coordinates staff shift coverage, breaks, and daily task assignments to keep testing smooth.
• Ensures daily quality control (QC) checks are run, documented, and kept within acceptable limits.
• Serves as a liaison between the core lab, hospital nursing staff, physicians, and reference laboratories.
• Serves as a liaison between the core lab, hospital nursing staff, physicians, and reference laboratories.
• Advises personnel in other health care facilities within the Department of Defense (DoD) on various aspects of laboratory quality management and testing.
• Serves as a faculty member or adjunct instructor for one or more of accredited education programs.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Tier 3 security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required.
• This position has mandatory seasonal Influenza vaccination requirements and is subject to annual seasonal Influenza vaccinations unless otherwise exempted for medical or religious reasons (documentation of exemption must be provided upon hire).
• Immunization screening is required. Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact. Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position.
• This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
• Moderate to heavy lifting up to 50 pounds may be required.
• This position has been designated Mission Essential. In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations, the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
• Position is designated as Inclement Weather Essential. The incumbent must make every attempt to report for work on time and/or remain on duty during severe weather conditions.
• This position may require the incumbent to work on call during irregular work hours which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or varying work schedules.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Clinical Laboratory Science:

A. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

OR

B. At least a full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post- bachelor's certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology.

OR

C. A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university that included 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids.

• This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable.

Evaluation of Education and Experience: The four major areas of clinical laboratory science are microbiology, clinical chemistry, hematology, and immunohematology (blood banking). Qualifying course work in these areas includes bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, tissue culture, virology, parasitology, endocrinology, enzymology, toxicology, urinalysis, coagulation, hemostasis, cell morphology, immunology, serology, immunoserology, immuno-deficiency, hemolysis, histocompatibility, cyto-genetics, and similar disciplines or areas of laboratory practice. Related fields include physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, cell biology, embryology, pathology, genetics, pharmacology, histology, cytology, nuclear medicine, epidemiology, biostatistics, infection control, physics, statistics, and similar areas of science where the work is directly related to the position to be filled.

Exemption: You are exempt from the basic requirements above if you are a current federal employee occupying a position in the 0644 occupational series and have been continuously employed in this occupational series since September 27, 2017 or before. Note: You will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the respective Human Resources Office to validate your status.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience : One year of specialized experience which includes performing high complexity patient testing (such as chemistry and hematology pre-analytics and automation, chemistry assays, immunoassays, osmolality, sweat chloride, therapeutic drug monitoring, toxicology, serology/ immunology, differentials, coagulation, urinalysis, bone marrows, body fluids, semen analysis, flow cytometry) within a Clinical Pathology Service/Core Laboratory; performing differentials on blood and body fluids; setting up/monitoring quality controls; troubleshooting/performing maintenance on testing instruments; and performing proficiency testing for national accreditation. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone no substitution of education for experience is permitted .

Certification Preferred: Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Medical Technologist (AMT) or other board or registry deemed comparable by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD(HA)) or their designee as a Medical Technologist (MT) or Medical Lab Scientist (MLS) is preferred.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit:

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives MAY be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.

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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