Summary

The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System is hiring (1) one Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist located in Oklahoma City - OK.

Qualifications

Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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
• 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 in 4c above 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
• Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT
• Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f)
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified
• Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-12 Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level 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: Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice
• Skill to maintain - troubleshoot - and repair laboratory instrumentation
• Ability to develop procedures for new tests - and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations
• Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section
• Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training
• Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians - nurses - and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing - specimen requirements and results
• Preferred Experience: Blood Bank experience is preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• This vacancy is above the full performance 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.

Duties

• The Lead CLS may act as a liaison to the supervisor and other departments/divisions of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty
• Duties may include - but are not limited to - orientation and evaluating the competency of assigned staff including identification of continuing education and training needs - coordinating daily activity of the lab section(s) - writing or modifying technical procedures - providing technical instruction - ensuring that policies - procedures and regulatory requirements are followed - advising on course of action to follow when results or samples obtained are unacceptable and coordinating or performing quality control reviews and method verification activities Performs a broad range of laboratory procedures including all testing and tasks of the medical laboratory technologist occupation
• In addition - performs advanced and complex laboratory procedures
• recognizes deviation from expected results
• analyzes and corrects problems using scientific principles
• Implements policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing
• Accurately performs pre-analytical - analytical and post-analytical phases of testing and analyze and interprets laboratory tests
• Evaluates and solves problems related to collection and processing of biological specimens for analysis taking into account physiologic processes and requirements
• Maintains and documents the optimal functioning of laboratory equipment
• Uses - calibrates - identifies malfunctions - repairs - and performs preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment
• Diagnoses deviations in test performance due to instrument malfunction
• Performs and documents quality control and assurance activities and corrective actions related to test performance using statistical principles and theories of performance improvement
• Identifies discrepancies - solves problems - and presents solutions
• Evaluates and implements new techniques and procedures in the laboratory in terms of equipment - method comparison - and establishment of reference intervals using statistical methods and theoretical knowledge
• Interprets findings and makes recommendations
• Evaluates the suitability of the specimen for analysis requesting new specimen if determined to be unusable
• Prepares specimens for analysis - ensuring that the physiologic state of the specimen properties is maintained
• Prepares reagents and primary reference materials - assembles equipment - verifies correct instrument operation
• standardizes - performs - and calculates results for a variety of complex tests such as special stains and procedures associated with whole blood and microbiological specimens - special cytochemical stains - body fluid analysis differentials and smears - cardiac panels - crossmatching blood - etc
• Correlates quantitative - biochemical - physiologic - and morphologic - and morphologic data with other laboratory data and/or other patient data to verify results
• Performs additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal patient results and reports results
• Performs additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal patient results
• Recognizes abnormal results that require immediate attention by the physician and reports them directly
• Responsible for the generation of laboratory results from the work area into the laboratory computer system and for the editing and verification of the results recorded into the computer system
• Reviews test results to detect clerical errors - significant analytical errors - and unusual laboratory results
• Assists in training new personnel - lower graded personnel - and students from appropriate training programs
• Maintains safety and cleanliness of laboratory
• Follows all appropriate OSHA an HIPPA guidelines
• Performs any other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:00am - 3:30pm Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 635-51214-A