Career Center

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f)
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following: (1) Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency - and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program
• OR (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination
• NOTE: Possession of a certification identified above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below
• (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT
• (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT
• (c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT
• NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held
• Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including - Ancillary Testing Coordinator - Education Coordinator - Laboratory Information Manager - Quality Manager - Laboratory Manager - Regional Technical Specialist - National Quality and Compliance Agent - Regional Program Manager - Regional Director - Laboratory Director - or National Quality and Compliance Officer)
• 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: Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent - appropriate - and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard (12/03/2024) - are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held - including positive education and certification where applicable
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level (GS-11) - or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level (GS-11) or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• (2) If an assignment above the FPL (GS-11) requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements - employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted
• (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-11 Experience or Education: Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below: (a) Experience
• 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• OR (b) Education
• Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-11
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles - practices - concepts - and theories that support sound - independent work
• Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement
• Skill in informatics - laboratory data flow - and laboratory processes
• Ability to maintain - troubleshoot - and repair instrumentation
• Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results
• Ability to read - interpret - and apply complex written instructions
• Ability to communicate - consult - and interact with other members of the health care team - external relations - customer service - and patient education
• Preferred Experience: Histology experience strongly preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• This position is in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service of the VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System
• The incumbent functions as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist at the Castle Point Campus primarily in the anatomic pathology/histology section
• Experience with embedding - cutting with a microtome - and staining are highly preferred
• The applicant should have experience with various staining methods such as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining - immunohistochemical staining procedures and collaboration with pathologists
• Duties include but are not limited to: Preparing and analyzing tissue samples for microscopic examination - fixing them in formalin - embedding them in paraffin wax - and sectioning them into thin slices using a microtome - and mounting them onto glass slides
• Uses comprehensive knowledge of professional medical technology principles - practices - concepts - and theories to produce sound independent work
• Applies their comprehensive knowledge of laboratory quality assurance principles to consistently manage quality control - process improvements - inventories - and documentation in laboratory operations
• Properly collects - handles - accessions - and labels specimens according to safety - patient identification - and infection control policies
• Evaluates and solves problems related to collection and processing of biological specimens for analysis considering physiological processes and requirements
• Evaluates the suitability and preparation of specimens for analysis - maintains seamless identification - preserves the viability of the specimen - and ensures uniformity is maintained
• Recognizes abnormal results that require follow up testing - confirms accuracy of abnormal results - and communicates to clinic care providers effectively
• Performs - evaluates - interprets - and validates laboratory results
• In all areas - clinical laboratory scientist prepares reagents - assembly equipment - and verifies correct instrument operation
• Performs laboratory work according to the safety standards - precautions - and awareness required to work in a bio-hazard area and with flammable and reactive chemicals
• Use of personal protective equipment and avoiding risk is required
• Conducts quality control procedures for processes including equipment - reagents - and products
• Maintains quality control data in format designed for each system
• The incumbent produces statistical spreadsheets - charts - and records for quality control reports
• Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction and implements corrections
• Uses independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results - analyzer messages/flags - and incongruous data
• Other duties as assigned
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Full Time - Varied with rotating weekends and holidays Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VISN2EDRPCoordinators@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 11995F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized