The Advanced Medical Technologist is located at the Minneapolis VA and develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results.

Duties

Functions: The medical technologist at the GS-10 level carries out all of the testing responsibilities of the GS-9, but has higher levels of professional responsibilities and expertise. Technologists at this level generally have professional oversight responsibilities and may have responsibility for a specific large scale automated analytical instrument system; a specific area of laboratory functions, such as employee competency records, supply functions, quality control review, new method development, or employee or student training; or provide professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists on all shifts. Duties/Tasks - Modifies or adapts new methods or techniques to improve or expand services - Develops protocols for performance of tests and evaluation of results. - Ensures that laboratory tests and procedures are consistent with accrediting agencies standards and requirements. - Recognizes methodology limitations such as linearity, interference, sensitivity, and specificity and considers these when drawing conclusions about the validity of testing results. - Performs validation/method verification studies for new systems. - Consults with healthcare providers on logical protocol to follow in attempting to confirm the diagnosis or risk assessment of a patient. - Provides advisory services to technicians, technologists, and other specialists. - In the absence of an on-site senior specialist or supervisor, directs workflow and reports concerns to section supervisor. Work Schedule: Day time tours, possible weekend and holidays Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. Loss of Credential. Once certified, MTs must maintain their certification. Loss of certification will result in removal from the occupation and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency. MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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 foreign baccalaureate degree 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 in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) 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. Grade Determinations: Medical Technologist (Advanced Staff Technologist) GS-10 Experience. Must have 1 year experience at or equivalent to the full performance level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled which are but not limited: Comprehensive knowledge of professional MT principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work; Comprehensive knowledge of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement in order to manage reagent and supply inventories and document control systems; Knowledge of laboratory equipment and ability to maintain, troubleshoot and repair instrumentation; Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member and effectively complete assignments; Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results; Ability to read, interpret and apply complex written instructions; Skilled in informatics, laboratory data flow and the understanding of laboratory processes; Ability to communicate, consult and interact with other members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service and patient education AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques. Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems. Knowledge of the application of laboratory regulatory requirements. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training. Advanced Staff Technologist. MTs at this level perform more complex laboratory functions. Duties may include specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects such as laboratory safety officer, analyzer specialist, or quality control file maintenance. Duties may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: serves as primary operator on new test systems, assumes responsibility to maintain operations including preventive maintenance and training of technicians and technologists on the operation of the new test systems; assists in writing procedures and other documents as directed; oversight of the clinical training experiences of technical and professional level technologist or technician training programs in order to fulfill educational and professional requirements (where training programs exist); provides technical training and guidance to students, residents, staff and other employees; recommends updated guidelines and policies in compliance with regulatory requirements for non-routine or complex assignments; coordinates the laboratory competency program; and coordinates the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) laboratory proficiency/survey program. Preferred Experience: Toxicology Laboratory experience including urine drug screening/confirmation, GC/MS and or LC-MS/MS References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72, PART II, APPENDIX G24 Physical Requirement: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of the evaluation or examination.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Minneapolis VA Medical Center One Veterans Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 US
• Name: Glenda Abfalter
• Phone: 3202556480 X5201
• Email: [email protected]