What are the responsibilities and job description for the Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Technical) (Blood Banking) position at Veterans Health Administration?
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 below 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)
- Physical Requirements : See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
- 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 : In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must meet the following grade requirements
- GS-12 Clinicla Laboratory Scientist Experience : 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Technical Specialist), GS-12
- Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities : In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs : (A) Knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles, methodology of medical laboratory technology, regulatory and accrediting agency requirements, medico-legal requirements, and pertinent statistics sufficient to perform complex diagnostic tests
- B) Knowledge of instructional techniques to instruct newly hired clinical laboratory scientists and clinical pathology residents in proper performance of tests and applications of laboratory procedures
- C) Knowledge of one or more advanced clinical laboratory functions
- D) Skill to apply new scientific / technical developments to develop procedures for new tests and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations
- E) Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work of a clinical laboratory
- F) Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work of the specific laboratory section
- Preferred Experience : At least 5 years experience as a clinical laboratory scientist, with no less then three years of progressively increasing responsibility in blood bank and transfusion medicine
- 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-12
- Physical Requirements : See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
