Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

This Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist is in the Specialty Care Service at the VA Bedford Healthcare System, MA. This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week.

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.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
  • Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
  • Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
  • 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).
  • Exception for Non-Certified:
    • Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of 4 the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency.
    • Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
    • Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL.
    • Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
    • Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.
• Foreign Graduates: 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:
• 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
• 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 in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

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:

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist GS-12

Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required for all GS-12 assignments.

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

(A) Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations and laboratory accrediting agency regulatory requirements sufficient to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory.
(B) Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.
(C) Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methods of clinical laboratory technology and operations.
(D) Skill in applying leadership principles such as interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
(E) Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
(F) Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long-term goals, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.
(G) Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.

Preferred Experience: A Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) with at least 3 years of experience as a generalist in Molecular, Urinalysis, Hematology and Coagulation. Experience in identifying shifts and trends in quality control and troubleshooting lab analyzers. Effective oral and written communications with both internal and external stakeholders. Strong ability to interpret lab test results and ensure accurate result. Ensures adherence to lab safety protocols. Familiar with CAP accreditation requirements.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Responsibilities:

The supervisory Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist ensures that orientation, training, competency assessment, and continuing education requirements are met. The individual ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL that consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety.
• Supervises at least one staff member at the GS-11 grade level.
• Exercises a full range of (CLS) supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff.
• Ensures that orientation, training, competency assessment, and continuing education requirements are met.
• Ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements.
• Establishes and monitors the quality of preanalytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective actions.
• Develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements.
• Responsible for professional and administrative oversight of operations, including fiscal and resource management.
• Maintains effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours per week, Day Shift.
Compressed/Flexible:Maybe available if approved.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F08021
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.

Notifications:

• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Current or formal Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• This position is covered by a special rate.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

Salary : $109,189