Pathology Specialist

Summary This position is in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service Line and you will serve as a Pathology Specialist in the Anatomic Pathology area at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX. Duties ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** The Pathology Specialist manages the operations of the Surgical Pathology and Autopsy services, integrating and educating pathology residents, and representing these services in a variety of interactions with clinical physicians and residents, nursing personnel, hospital administrative and other personnel, and personnel from outside facilities. The Pathology Specialist independently plans and carries out assignments in order to accomplish the goals of the service and initiates and completes new projects which extend the applications of current technologies and incorporate new technological advances. Duties include, but are not limited to the following: Work independently to perform these highly complex functions or in collaboration with pathology residents, medical students, technicians and technologists. The employee's thorough understanding of the gross appearance of the pathologic processes in a wide variety of patient's samples allows him/her to comfortably adapt traditional methods to handle unique cases containing unknown abnormalities. Photography of gross specimens and maintenance of a teaching collection of gross photographs. Maintains regulatory compliance related to his/her duties daily. Plays a central role in the education and training of residents in pathology. Teaches other health care workers including technicians, technologists, nurses and administrative personnel. Develops or participates in the development of Anatomic Pathology protocols. Performs autopsies in rotation with residents and senior staff under the supervision of the Pathologist. Participates in the development and implementation of methods in all areas of anatomic pathology relevant to Grossing and Autopsy. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications Basic Requirement: Bachelor's or higher level degree with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position (i.e. pathology, histopathology, etc.). This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. NOTE: Transcripts are required at the time of application. AND In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, applicants must have specialized experience directly related to the work of this position as stated below: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in Federal Service that has given you the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Pathology Specialist GS-12. Specialized experience includes performing biopsy and organ grossing; completing post-mortem/autopsy procedures; applying knowledge of biological and environmental safety regulations, medico-legal requirements, and acceptable practices; distinguishing normal versus disease states; performing frozen sections and staining; using and maintaining relevant complex instruments (e.g. cryostat, cameras, and automatic tissue processors); and provides training to other qualified histology technicians in pathology specimen examination. NOTE: Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Communication Medical Information Quality Assurance Technical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as prolonged standing, bending over microscopes, reaching for supplies or materials, and lifting heavy items such as centrifuges and record boxes or occasionally lifting heavier items such as bodies. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above average dexterity to perform intricate collection or analysis procedures. Good color vision is required. Fine muscle movements of the hands may also be required. The work involves moderate risks and discomforts associated with working in a laboratory with regular and recurring exposure to hazards such as potentially infectious materials and irritating and volatile organic chemicals requiring incumbent to use safety precautions. Incumbent must use personal protective clothing and gear such as lab coats, gloves, facemasks, and biological safety hoods as required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. 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.