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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Lead Medical Technologist (Molecular) Near Indianapolis, IN

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.
• Foreign Graduates: Graduates of baccalaureate programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described above. This finding may be based on either of the following: A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree. A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination.
• Certification-Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT.
• Grandfathering Provision: All MTs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
• English Language Proficiency: MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, VA Handbook 5005.

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 11-Lead Medical Technologist
Specialized 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,
Additional 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.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate, in their resume, all of the following Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
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.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as prolonged standing, kneeling, bending over microscopes, reaching for supplies or materials, and lifting moderately heavy (up to 45 pounds) items such as centrifuges and record boxes (or occasionally lifting heavier items such as reagents packs). The work requires use of fingers, both hands, and color vision. The work requires the ability to read and comprehend ordinary type and computer screens; ability to 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; ability to wear required to personal protective equipment as required.

Responsibilities:

The incumbent is a qualified Medical Technologist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist that functions as a Lead Medical Technologist within the Molecular Biology section. A medical technologist at this level has a wider latitude for exercising independent judgment, a higher level of professional oversight responsibilities, and advanced knowledge of specialized complex subject matter. The incumbent is assigned more complex and specialized duties beyond providing routine patient test results. Assignments may include laboratory test development or modification, method validation and

performance evaluation, quality control review, laboratory statistics, assisting with preparation for regulatory inspections, and team leader within the Molecular Biology section.

The incumbent has specialized knowledge of molecular diagnostic techniques including but not limited to; DNA and RNA extraction, PCR, reverse transcriptase-PCR, real-time PCR, gel electrophoresis, Next-Generation Sequencing.

The incumbent has a basic understanding of the principles, theories, practices and methodologies of genetics, bacteriology, and virology.

Duties and tasks include but are not limited to the following:

• Assists the Molecular Biology supervisor with development and validation of new methods or techniques to improve or expand molecular pathology services.
• Advanced knowledge and skill of molecular diagnostic principles, theories, practices and methodologies sufficient to perform the full range of duties.
• Develops protocols and writes procedures for performance of tests and evaluation of results.
• Ensures that laboratory tests and procedures are consistent with accrediting agencies standards and requirements.
• Continually conducts research on new testing and instruments available for testing.
• Provide necessary requirements for new tests such as writing statement of work and doing extensive market research.
• Perform cost analysis for new test including cost for validation, service agreements, cost to send test out, cost to perform test based on number performed per run.
• 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.
• Able to organize and prioritize work during heavy workload situations to expedite patient results. Prioritizes work between non-specimen activity and patient care.

Work Schedule: 0730-1600 or 0800-1630 M-F, No weekends and rotating holidays.
Compressed/Flexible:Not Available
Telework: No available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN10HREDRPSLRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary