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. 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.

Duties

This Medical Technologist- Technical Specialist will serve as the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service Safety Officer. Duties Include: Develops and recommends safety policy and procedures applicable to the laboratory. Evaluates fire drills conducted periodically to determine the laboratory personnel will respond safely in the event of fire. Maintains documentation that laboratory personnel have been trained on safety. Responsible for the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) that defines the safety procedures for all hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory. Follows OSHA regulations to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals are evaluated, and that the information concerning their hazards is transmitted to employers and employees. Develops and reviews infections control policies and procedures (VA policies and OSHA Standard on occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens) Instructs personnel in the proper use of personal protective clothing/equipment (e.g., gloves, gowns, masks, eye protectors, etc.). Do daily rounds within the laboratory areas. Follow up and find solutions for Environment of Care (EOC) rounds noted deficiencies. Active participant in the VA local safety committee. Back-up for Quality Management/Performance Improvement Medical Technologist Back-up for Ancillary Test Coordinator Medical Technologist Back-up for Laboratory Information Manager Medical Technologist Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21260F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Education and/or Experience Combination(1) 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 science 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 (2) 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 inorganic 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 (3) 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 inorganic 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:(1) 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.(2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination. Certification. Candidates must have either (1) or (2) below: (1) Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. (2) For positions up to the full performance level, candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB)and blood bank (BB/SBB). Technologists with categorical or specialist certifications may only perform duties within the area of the laboratory specific to their categorical certification (e. g., an individual with a chemistry certification can only perform duties in chemistry). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Grade Determinations: Technical Specialist GS-11 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. 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. Assignments. These assignments require specialized training and experience and have wide latitude for exercising independent judgment. Employees must have advanced knowledge of specialized and complex subject matter extending beyond the duties of test performance. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Technical Specialist. The incumbent serves as an expert providing authoritative advice and consultation for more markedly difficult, complex, unique and/or emerging tests requiring special knowledge. Examples include, but are not limited to, molecular/deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)/genetic testing, bone marrow examination, and flow cytometry. Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of specialized testing, including appropriateness that takes into consideration clinical context. Advises on alternate testing to overcome ambiguities in the clinical diagnoses. Analyzes emerging trends and technology and adopts appropriate methods and testing. Applies policies, precedents, regulatory, licensing and accrediting requirements to establish, monitor and maintain the specialized testing. The technical specialist often works independently and is given freedom of action under the general guidance of a pathologist or other laboratory practitioner. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Advanced knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles, methodology of medical laboratory technology, regulatory and accrediting agency requirements, medicolegal requirements and pertinent statistics sufficient to perform complex diagnostic tests. b. Skill to apply new scientific/technical developments and theories to laboratory testing. c. Advanced knowledge of instructional techniques to instruct newly hired technologists and clinical pathology residents in proper performance of tests and applications of the laboratory procedures. d. Ability to develop procedures for new tests and modify existing procedures and methods in order to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations. e. Advanced knowledge of a particular discipline or function with wide latitude for exercising sound independent judgment. References: VA Handbook 5005/72, Part II, Appendix G24

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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 Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1201 Northwest 16th Street Miami, FL 33125 US
• Name: Samantha Portuondo
• Phone: (727) 398-6661
• Email: [email protected]