Lead Medical Technologist-Chemistry

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. 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.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

06/07/2024 to 06/06/2025

• Salary

$99,061 - $128,776 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 11

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Fort Harrison, MT

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0644 Clinical Laboratory Science

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBSU-12353984-24-SM

• Control number

794776400

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This job is open to

• Federal employees

• Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

• Federal employees

• Excepted service

Current excepted service federal employees.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

• This position is ONLY open to current, permanent Fort Harrison VA Medical Center Employees, permanent VHA Employees Nationwide, and other permanent current Federal employees. If you are NOT a current federal employee, please apply to the Public Announcement CBSU-12353983-24-SM*

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Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until June 07, 2025, or until the vacancy is filled. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be June 17, 2024, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st and 15th of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled

Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to:

The incumbent serves as a Medical Technologist in VA MT Healthcare, Ft. Harrison site responsible for coverage of all clinical disciplines of Hematology, Chemistry, Urinalysis, Blood Gases, Coagulation, Blood Bank, Phlebotomy, and send out testing, (excluding Histology and Basic Microbiology coverage only). Required to cover shifts as assigned on our 24-hour, 7 day per week service; weekend, holiday and night shifts are covered as sole technologist on-site. 2) In addition to these broad medical technologist duties, the incumbent is also responsible for the technical oversight of the entire Chemistry Department, consisting of multiple chemistry instruments and all the policy and procedure updating, adherence to all current accreditation standards, all inventory and ordering duties, quality control program oversight including corrective action as necessary, new method development. This technologist acts as an expert Chemistry department technical advisor for all other technical staff.

• Performs testing procedures on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual and automated techniques. Duties require competency in the areas of Blood Bank, Hematology, Chemistry, Special Chemistry, Coagulation, Urinalysis, Blood Gases Phlebotomy, and send out testing.

• Generalist Microbiology competency required. Testing duties in all disciplines require the technologist to perform, evaluate, interpret, correlate, and validate the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results.

• Technologist prepares reagents, assembles equipment, and verifies correct instrument operation.

• Maintains validity of assay system by appropriate testing of reagents prior to use for patient testing.

• Evaluates the validity of data in relation to the test system and assay procedures. Correlates and integrates information and performs additional testing to confirm abnormal results.

• Skillfully collects venous and arterial blood samples from patients adhering to all safety and patient care requirements. Controls physical conditions and responds to time factors to ensure that the physiological state of the specimen is maintained.

• Proficiently use VA Laboratory computer software package (VISTA) as job assignments require.

• Demonstrates a working mastery of the functions of the CPRS system and Microsoft Internet, Word, and E-mail functions. Incumbent attentively accessions and labels samples and subsamples, records data accurately in logs and worksheets with extreme attention to ID verification and accurate manual recording. Tech performs these duties as assigned by printed schedule.

• Thorough understanding and adherence to all safety requirements as per regulatory laws such as used in phlebotomy, proper handling of blood and body fluids, hazardous medical waste, safe chemical handling practices, etc. Consults with newer staff regarding abnormal or unusual results and advises on course of action.

• Ensures the adequacy of the scientific knowledge applied in the performance of required tests. Annually attends/completes the required hours of mandatory training required by VA Montana.B) Chemistry Section Oversight Duties in addition to the Medical Technologist duties described above.

• Monthly Chemistry section quality control reports are completed for supervisor and P&LMS Chief review.

• Responsible for oversight of multiple chemistry instruments, chemistry middleware, and automation line if applicable.

• Responsible for maintenance schedules to meet accreditation standards.

• Responsible for the creation/updating of procedure manuals in the Chemistry department assuring continuous review of changing accreditation standards.

• Evaluates data and documentation for accreditation requirement adequacy.

• Responsible for all recurring mandatory method comparison testing; calibration verification and documentation are complete for any test in the department performed by more than one instrument.

• Participates in scoring of vendor's offers and feedback to VISN contracting staff.

Work Schedule: Day Shift, Monday-Friday (with rotating weekends)

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 436-58458-0

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Contact Leon.Lee@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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 and/or Experience Combination:

• A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.) AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree

• OR, A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory

• OR, A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.

• Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT.

• English Language Proficiency: Medical technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Grade Determinations:

GS-11 Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the full performance level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled.

OR,

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 field.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

a. Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.

b. Knowledge of regulatory, licensing and accrediting agency requirements and statutes governing clinical laboratory operations in order to plan, implement or monitor laboratory programs and services.

c. Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section.

d. Skill to maintain, troubleshoot and repair laboratory instrumentation.

e. Ability to provide technical oversight in order to manage personnel and work assignments in a manner that assures completion of the laboratory workload.

(RESUME MUST REFLECT REQUIRED KSAs IN DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES IN ORDER TO BE FOUND QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION)

Preferred Experience in molecular or microbiology.

References: A Handbook VA 5005, Part II, Appendix G24, Medical Technologist Qualification Standard

This position is being announced above the full performance level at the GS-11 level.

Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform moderate lifting up to 20 lbs, straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers and both hands, walking, standing for up to 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, use of both arms and legs. Specific visual requirements include use of both eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and shades of colors, hearing (aids permitted), clear, high cognitive function and emotional stability; ability to read ordinary type without strain.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.

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• Benefits

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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 window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for 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; religions; 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.