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. Program 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.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f)
• 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)
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
• A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-13 Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist Experience: 1 year of creditable experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) is required for all GS-13 assignments
• Assignment: The supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning - directing - and assessing work of subordinate staff
• Recommends appointments - awards - advancement - and disciplinary actions
• Plans and assigns work based on priorities - requirements of assignments - and abilities of employees
• Provides advice and counsel and evaluates work of subordinates
• Ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical - analytical - and postanalytical processes - initiating corrective actions as needed as part of the overall laboratory quality management program
• Plans and executes performance and quality improvement projects
• Verifies orientation - training - and competency assessment of assigned staff and develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals
• The supervisory CLS ensures all staff and affiliate staff comply with accrediting and regulating bodies
• The supervisory CLS adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level
• Manages document control - develops performance standards - position descriptions - and functional statements and is responsible for technical and administrative management of an assigned area including budget execution
• Interacts with administrative and clinical onsite personnel and exercises significant independent decision-making authority
• Maintains effective interdisciplinary and interprofessional relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations - laboratory accrediting - and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines - formulate plans - and judge effectiveness of the operation
• 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
• Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties - which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed - performance evaluations - selection of staff - recommendation of awards - advancements - and disciplinary actions
• Ability to analyze organizational - technical - and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result inefficient laboratory operation
• Ability to manage fiscal matters - forecast resource and equipment needs - and administer the allocated budget
• Ability to set short and/or long-term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages - organizational structure - and new technology
• Preferred Experience: Laboratory Generalist experience with Phlebotomy desired
• Past Supervisory Experience preferred
• 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.

Duties

• This Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist is in the Pathology and Laboratory Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System - Brockton - MA campus
• This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week
• GS-13 Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist Assignment: The supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning - directing - and assessing work of subordinate staff
• The supervisory CLS recommends appointments - awards - advancement - and disciplinary actions
• The CLS plans and assigns work based on priorities - requirements of assignments - and abilities of employees
• provides advice and counsel
• and evaluates work of subordinates
• The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical - analytical - and post-analytical processes - initiating corrective actions as needed as part of the overall laboratory quality management program
• The supervisory CLS plans and executes performance and quality improvement projects
• The supervisory CLS verifies orientation - training - and competency assessment of assigned staff and develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals
• The supervisory CLS ensures all staff and affiliate staff comply with accrediting and regulating bodies
• The supervisory CLS adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level
• This individual manages document control - develops performance standards - position descriptions - and functional statements and is responsible for technical and administrative management of an assigned area including budget execution
• The supervisory CLS interacts with administrative and clinical onsite personnel and exercises significant independent decision-making authority
• The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdisciplinary and interprofessional relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Karen.Chapman@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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 #: FS08289 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is on a special salary rate
• Current and former Federal employees may 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
• No award SF-50 will be accepted
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment
• IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.