Clinical Laboratory Scientist

This position is located in the Patient Care Services component at the Catawba Service Unit, Catawba, South Carolina. The purpose of this position is to plan and carry out a diagnostic testing program providing microbiology, hematology, chemistry, urinalysis, serology and parasitology services.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.


BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):

1. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

   OR

2. A full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post- bachelor's certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology.

   OR

3. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids. This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below-

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Examples include: performing duties such as processing patient samples and conducting analysis; performing instrument calibration standardization and preventative maintenance; maintaining section records; preparing reagents and verifying instruments are operating correctly; repeating unusual or unexpected test results; assisting in calculating from accumulative quality controls performed, mean and standard deviation reference points and variation from mean; conducting external proficiency testing; assisting senior or supervisory staff in collecting data from a new section procedures and techniques.
OR
3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the general field of medical technology; one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology; or a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled.
OR
A combination of education and experience, in one or more of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology equivalent to a major in the field, that when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The total percentage equals at least 100 percent to qualify for this GS-11 grade level.


You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Responsibilities:

• Evaluates and selects reagents and supplies, establishing, maintaining, inventory and appropriate control systems.
• Manages resources in accordance with service unit policy and procedures.
• Establishes and implements specimen collection and preparation procedures.
• Performs routine and specialized tests.
• Conducts quality control procedures on equipment, reagents, and products by designing and implementing instrument, reagent, and product check systems.
• Establishes a preventive maintenance program for all instruments.
• Calibrates or standardizes equipment; troubleshoots malfunctions and makes simple repairs or identifies need for external services.
• Maintains a current procedural manual.