The incumbent serves as a Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) within the Chemistry section of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, performing key Duties in the clinical laboratory. The incumbent preforms higher-level duties consisting of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety at least 25% of the time.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.7403(f). Certification. Candidates must meet one of the certification options below. Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT. Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT. Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT. 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: GS-12 Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice. Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation. Ability to develop procedures for new tests, and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations. Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training. 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurrent standing to perform procedures and tests, walking between different areas within the laboratory and throughout the medical center. The work involves sitting at a microscope or computer, manual dexterity, visual acuity, color vision and the ability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time. Requires intermittent moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; both hands required; intermittent but possibly prolonged stooping and kneeling; ability to read and comprehend ordinary type and computer screens; ability to hear (aid permitted) and work in an environment with constant noise; working closely with others; high cognitive function required to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities without loss of accuracy; emotional stability required to maintain self-control in difficult and stressful situations.
Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: Maintains accountability for inventory and ordering of all supplies and reagents for all shifts and inventory of expendable supplies. Logs and stores reagents and supplies per standard operating procedures and maintains optimal inventory levels of reagents and supplies to prevent workflow interruptions. Involved in statistical data collection and/or documentation for records, reports, Quality Assurance monitors, and quality control. Maintains a detailed, accurate record in an organized fashion, tracks activities, and processes paperwork accurately and promptly. Responsible for the implementation, verification, and validation of new instrumentation, equipment, and testing within the department. Evaluates the verification and validation data for all new instrumentation, equipment, and tests to ensure acceptability prior to implementation. May perform assignments in all areas of the chemistry department to include, but not limited to general chemistry, urinalysis, blood gases, special chemistry, electrophoresis, toxicology, immunology, infectious disease, etc. Instructs technical staff in the practice and theory of clinical chemistry as well as quality control methods and troubleshooting. Utilizes instructional techniques to train newly hired technologists and students in the proper performance of tests and applications of chemistry procedures and the proper performance of quality control. Develops course guidelines, materials, and teaching aids for trainees to include the review of Levy-Jennings charts and Westgard Rules, as well as the reporting and troubleshooting of quality control results. Informs the section supervisor of training progress and additional needs. Maintains an advanced knowledge of chemistry and quality control techniques and problem solving and acts as a resource for other technologists. Assists the supervisor in technical phases of specialized testing and quality control, including appropriately taking into consideration clinical context. Responsible for all quality control functions, including daily review of quality control reports, Levy-Jennings plots, the implementation of quality control products and new lot numbers, investigation of quality control outliers, reporting of quality control for peer review, and collaboration with section director and/or section supervisor on any and all quality control issues. Responsible for the submission of monthly quality control data for peer review. Any discrepancies are to be investigated by the incumbent and all documentation submitted to the section director and section supervisor for review. The incumbent collaborates at least weekly with the section director and section supervisor on all quality control issues. Responsible for the review of all equipment maintenance logs, which may include but is not limited to refrigerators, freezers, oven, centrifuges, automated pipettes, and other small equipment. Work Schedule: M-F, 0730-1600, rotating weekends/holidays Telework: Not Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:92762-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN10HRCCOE@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized