Supervisory Medical Technologist

To qualify for this position as a GS-0644 Medical Technologist (Lead Medical Technologist), you must meet the following: Basic Requirements

• 1. Citizen of the United States; non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3g.
• 2. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 2, Section D, Paragraph 5a.
• 3. Education and Experience: Your education and experience must include:
  • A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.).

AND

• The completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate;

OR

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics,

AND

• Two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory;

OR

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics,

AND

• Five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.
• Foreign Graduates
• Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in above in 3c-3d or 3e-3f. This finding may be based on either of the following:
  1. A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree.
  2. A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination.
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT.
• Grandfathering Provision: All MTs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of May 12, 2014 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations for GS 12:

(a) Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled.
(b) Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Candidates at this grade level are in one of the following assignments:
Supervisory Technologist. The incumbent has full supervisory responsibility in a complexity index group 1 laboratory or in a complexity index group 2 laboratory that performs at least 1 million Standard Billable Tests annually (reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program). The incumbent supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel including at least one GS-11 subordinate. Recommends appointment, plans and assigns work, provides advice and counsel and evaluates work of subordinates. The supervisor is responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance and initate corrective action. Verifies orientation, training and competency assessment of assigned staff. Develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals. Ensures all staff and affiliate staff are in compliance with accrediting and regulating bodies. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level. This individual manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements, and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution. The supervisor will maintain effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting and regulatory requirements in order to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans and the ability to judge effectiveness of the operation.
b. Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or education and training of laboratory staff.
c. Knowledge of, and ability to, provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of staff; recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
d. Ability to analyze organizational, technical and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient overall laboratory operation.
e. Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders and managers.
f. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs and administer the allocated budget.
g. Ability to set short and/or long term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, new technology, etc.

Preferred Experience: Automation, Cellavision

References: VA Handbook 5005/72 Part II Appendix G24

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 12.

Physical Requirements: While work is partially sedentary, there are demands for standing, walking, bending at times. May also require travel by auto or plane.