Career Center

Summary

Join a dynamic team! The Fayetteville VA Medical Center is seeking a dedicated Supervisory Histopathology Technologist for the Anatomic Pathology section of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. The Supervisory Histopathology Technologist supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel in the performance of complex anatomic pathology testing in multiple specialties - such as Mohs testing - cytology testing - immunohistochemistry - molecular testing - or electron microscopy.

Qualifications

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
• English Language Proficiency: Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: Individuals must meet one of the requirements: (1) Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university - leading to a bachelor's or higher degree - that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist - such as - but not limited to clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• OR - (2) Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both)
• OR - (3) Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education - leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree - with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy Foreign Education: To be credible - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials - and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess the Histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam: (a) Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS);OR - (b) One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation - embedding - microtomy - processing - and staining in a histopathology (clinical - veterinary - industry - or research) laboratory
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• 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) Grandfathering Provision
• All histopathology technologists employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series - who perform the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard - are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position - the following provisions apply: (1) Histopathology technologists who do not meet the basic requirements for education 4 and certification may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance level - or demoted within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in a supervisory or managerial position
• (2) Histopathology technologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or receive a new appointment on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (3) Histopathology technologists initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard - must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Supervisory Histopathology Technologist: GS-12 Experience: Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be filled
• Assignment
• The selected candidate supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel - including at least one GS-11 subordinate - in the performance of complex anatomic pathology testing across multiple specialties - such as Mohs testing - cytology - immunohistochemistry - molecular testing - or electron microscopy
• The supervisor performs the full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the anatomic pathology laboratory - including responsibility for assigning work
• conducting performance evaluations
• recommending appointments - awards - advancement - and disciplinary actions
• identifying continuing education and training needs
• and resolving interpersonal issues
• The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of the pre-analytical processes - as part of the overall laboratory quality management program - and initiates corrective action
• The supervisor is responsible for fiscal matters - including budget execution - sets short-term and/or long-term goals - develops policies and procedures - manages document control - and develops performance standards - position descriptions - and functional statements
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of Federal and state laws - regulations - and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory
• Skill in communicating with individuals - in order to obtain the desired effect - ensuring compliance with established policies - regulations - and procedures
• Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties - which includes responsibility for assignment of work - performance evaluations - selection of staff - recommendation of awards - advancements - and disciplinary actions
• Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program - and/or education and training of the laboratory staff
• Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills - including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees - team leaders - and managers
• Ability to plan - organize - set short and/or long-term goals - and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems - including fiscal matters - budget execution - personnel shortages - organizational structure - and new technology
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work requires frequent standing - walking - bending - reaching - and moderate lifting to perform tasks and procedures
• It also requires specific physical characteristics - abilities - and dexterity needed to perform intricate procedures
• The employee may be required to spend long periods of time in front of a computer screen and using a keyboard.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: The selected candidate performs the full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the laboratory - including responsibility for assignment of work
• performance evaluations
• recommendations for appointment - awards - advancement - and disciplinary actions
• and identification of continuing education and training needs
• Takes responsibility for the day-to-day supervision of the section - sets short and long-term goals - prepares work schedules - and assigns duties and provides instruction to subordinates to assure efficient and timely performance of all procedures
• Works as a histopathology technologist as needed and accomplishes duties specifically assigned to the section(s) supervised
• Works off-hour shifts - weekends - and holidays as priorities show a need or as directed by management
• Assures that all employees under his/her supervision are aware of and abide by the appropriate hospital and laboratory safety regulations
• Responsible for maintaining the work area in a clean environment appropriate for the Section
• Assists employees in obtaining continuing education and determining their training needs
• Assures orientation - training - and competency assessment of staff upon initial test performance and annually thereafter
• Develops - maintains - and monitors the Quality Improvement and Quality Control/Management programs in Anatomic Pathology
• Ensures that the department policies meet the requirements of regulatory and accrediting agencies such as CAP - JCAHO - and OSHA
• Assures that all standards of the American College of Pathologists (CAP) are practiced at all times in the Section - and that the Section will qualify for accreditation by CAP
• Develops and maintains procedure manuals in the section
• Reviews and updates the same to ensure compliance with all accreditation requirements
• Trains lower-grade histopathology technicians/ologists in the use of new procedures and instrumentation
• Serves as a point of contact for persons outside the service to inform - mediate - investigate - or solve problems and complaints - and conduct business
• Persons outside the service include care providers (physicians - nurses - physician assistants) - vendor and equipment sales and service representatives - and other hospital employees - including those from engineering - personnel - security - pharmacy - and others
• The selected candidate should endeavor to be courteous and professional and encourage the other medical technologists to conduct themselves likewise
• Ensures activities associated with process improvement - customer service - data-driven decision making - or team-driven change are accomplished
• Ensures staff members complete the current mandatory continuing education hours
• Ensures a team approach to daily work and promotes problem-solving among the staff
• The selected candidateaccepts and resolves technical problems that cannot be solved at a lower level and rarely refers problems to a higher authority
• Provides input into laboratory quality monitors - provides data as required - and follows up for compliance with the same
• Assures that the laboratory procedures and staff meet all requirements of the College of American Pathologists - TJC - and VA safety and infection control requirements
• Receives all requests and specimens for testing into the laboratory
• Verifies the accuracy and completeness of the request and proper sample submissions
• Responsible for embedding tissue of all sizes in the proper medium and in the proper manner for correct sectioning
• Operates the microtome to produce tissue sections of the requested thickness
• Correctly coverslip preparations so that no artifacts are produced
• Prepares both routine and special tissues including - but not limited to - cryopreservation of muscle biopsies - needle and punch biopsies - kidney biopsies - bone marrow biopsies and fine needle aspirations
• Performs frozen section preparations
• Frozen section preparation includes selecting pathologic portions of the specimen - marking it for correct orientation and identification of the tumor margins - freezing the unfixed specimen - sectioning it with a cryostat microtome - and staining and cover slipping
• Performs staining of tissue sections - including histochemical - immunohistochemical - and other advanced staining techniques
• These procedures are specialized and often complex - difficult - and non-standardized
• Assists the pathologist - radiologist - endocrinologist - or other provider during specimen collection for fine-needle aspirations and bone marrow
• S/he prepares specialized touch preparations and aspirates smears in accordance with protocol
• Work Schedule: 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
• Monday - Friday Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized