The incumbent serves as a Medical Technologist (Advanced Staff Technologist) and performs more complex laboratory functions, provides professional oversight, and may have responsibility for a specific laboratory function and quality control review.

Duties

The Advanced Staff Technologist has a higher level of 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, laboratory safety, quality control review, new method development or employee or student training; or provide professional and technical advice. Incumbent performs the below duties at least 50 percent of the time. Serves as primary operator on new test systems. Assumes responsibility to maintain operations including preventive maintenance and training of technicians, technologists, and students on the new test system Assist in writing procedures and other documents as directed Provides oversight of the clinical training experiences of technical and professional level technologist or technician training programs in order to fulfill educational and professional requirements 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 Coordinates the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CUA) laboratory proficiency/survey program Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Rotating weekends and holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized 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 only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.) 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 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. (Transcript Required) 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 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. (Transcript Required) 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 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. (Transcript Required) 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 currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. 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: GS-10 Advance Staff Technologist Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must also 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. Assignments. MTs at this level generally have a higher level of 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, laboratory safety, quality control review, new method development or employee or student training; or provide professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists on alternate tours of duty. 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. 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: Five years creditable Blood Bank experience as a Medical Technologist at the GS 9 level or higher. One year experience performing and reviewing quality control and maintenance. Ability to troubleshoot issues and resolve difficult or complex problems with instrumentation/testing. Proficient with resulting requested tests in the Blood Bank Computer System. Knowledge of the application of AABB, FDA and Laboratory regulatory requirements. Ability to provide technical training and guidance to students, residents, staffs & other employees. References: VA Handbook 5005/72 Part II Appendix G24 Medical Technologist Qualification Standards The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10. Physical Requirements: Light Lifting and Carrying (under 15 lbs); Reaching above-shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (2-4 hours); Standing (2-4 hours); Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted)

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.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]