The Lead Medical Technologist is located at the Minneapolis VA and serves in one or more sections of a clinical laboratory and is assigned specialized and complex laboratory tasks beyond providing patient test results. Assignments may include laboratory test development or modification, method validation/performance evaluation, and/or providing consultation services to health care providers.

Duties

Duties/Tasks - Serves as an expert providing authoritative advice and consultation for more markedly difficult, complex, unique, and/or emerging tests requiring special knowledge. - Conducts studies and recommends changes to correct deficiencies and improve the specialty area. Recommends new/replacement instrumentation. - Designs work flow to accomplish objectives in the clinical specialty area. - Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of the specialized testing, including the appropriateness of specific tests and takes into consideration the clinical context and usefulness of the test information. Advises on alternate testing to overcome ambiguities in the clinical diagnoses. - Identifies training needs appropriate for the type and complexity of the laboratory services performed. - Identifies, defines, and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of data or unique or controversial aspects of the testing where no direct precedent exists. - Analyzes emerging trends and technology and adopts appropriate methods and testing. - Applies laws, policies, precedents, regulatory, licensing, and accrediting requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain the specialized testing. - Assists with preparation for external reviews (Joint Commission, IG, CAP, FDA, AABB, etc) by reviewing regulatory, licensing and accrediting agency requirements for compliance within the service and recommends changes as appropriate. - Maintains process control in a specialty area through a multifaceted quality assurance program. - Performs quality control procedures on equipment, reagents, and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports. Responsible for review of quality control and problem resolution in assigned department. - Assists in investigation of complaints from hospital staff concerning test results. - Develops and monitors laboratory inventory and supply needs as assigned. - Develops and modifies methods, procedure, and techniques. - Selects, performs, evaluates and monitors the performance of test procedures using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction; locates and implements corrections. - Assists supervisor with the development, implementation and reassessment of the competency program. - Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members or employees to ensure that tasks are completed and team priorities, goals, needs and achievements are coordinated with management. Acts as a liaison between the team members and supervisors. - In the absence of an on-site supervisor, directs workflow and reports concerns to section supervisor. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday PM Shift hours (to be discussed at interview) with rotating weekends 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. 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. Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. 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: GS-11 Lead Medical Technologist: Experience: Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the full performance level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled. GS-9, which is directly related to the position to be filled. Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals and achievements are coordinated with management. Responsible for all aspects of operation in their area of specialty including preparation and maintenance of records and reports, analysis of testing methodologies, training, instrumentation and compliance. Acts as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty. OR, Education: Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related field. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice. b. Knowledge of regulatory, licensing and accrediting agency requirements and statutes governing clinical laboratory operations in order to plan, implement or monitor laboratory programs and services. c. Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section. d. Skill to maintain, troubleshoot and repair laboratory instrumentation. e. Ability to provide technical oversight in order to manage personnel and work assignments in a manner that assures completion of the laboratory workload. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. References: VA Handbook 5005/72 Part II appendix G24 Physical Requirements: 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 evaluation or examination. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

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]