Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Summary About the Position: This position is located at WRNMMC with the Directorate for Clinical Support, Dept of Pathology, Armed Services Blood Bank Center in Bethesda, MD. 1st shift (8 hours) within 0600-1630. Flexibility is required; may involve overtime, weekend, and holiday work based on mission needs. This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. Learn more about this agency Duties Performs moderate to high complexity Blood Banking procedures and utilizations. Conducts the secondary and/or final review and official release of blood component lots, which includes verifying all quality control, testing results, and shipping documents. Ensures all laboratory operations strictly adhere to regulations from the FDA, AABB (American Association of Blood Banks), and CAP (College of American Pathologists). Participates in mobile blood drives, assisting with the setup, operation, and teardown of collection sites as needed. Screens potential donors by conducting detailed medical history interviews and checking vital signs to determine their eligibility to donate. Manufactures blood components such as packed red blood cells, platelets, and fresh frozen plasma from whole blood or apheresis donations. Manages inventory by entering all product data into the computer system to ensure proper tracking and release of blood products. Screens blood donations for infectious diseases in compliance with regulatory standards. Performs laboratory techniques covered by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), performs validation procedures, and develops/modifies SOPs. Confirms the safety, potency, and purity of blood products collected, manufactured, and distributed. Validates the effective application of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), the capture of Biological Product Deviation reports (BPDs), and all other elements unique to the Blood Services area. Participates in the manufacture of blood components, including, collection, testing, labeling, splitting, washing, pooling, thawing, release, storage, shipping, and receiving. Uses laboratory equipment/analyzers proficiently and takes appropriate corrective actions should quality control and/or performance indicators fail. Requirements 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 investigation or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required. 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. 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). This position requires the incumbent to have Tuberculosis testing. 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 work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations. This position has been designated Weather Essential. In the event of inclement weather conditions the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations. This position may require the incumbent to work on any day or shift, including PMs, nights, weekends, holidays, or on an "on call" basis, necessary to meet mission requirements. This position requires incumbent to routinely lift materials weighing up to 40 pounds. Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or 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 Scientist: 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. 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 Blood Banking procedures such as ABO/Rh typing, antibody detection/identification, and compatibility testing within a medical treatment facility and/or clinical laboratory; and troubleshooting, calibrating and performing routine maintenance on laboratory testing instruments. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Clinical Laboratory Science or Medical Technology. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Certification: Certification as Specialist in Blood Bank (SBB), Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Medical Technologists (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/Clinical Laboratory Scientist (MLS/CLS) 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ 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. One year trial/probationary period may be required. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. 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. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. 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. Expand Hide  additional information 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. Benefits 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. Review our benefits 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.