Job opening: Lead Medical Technologist-Microbiology/Serology
Salary: $76 373 - 99 282 per year
Published at: Nov 27 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
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
Current, permanent VA employees or Federal employees from another agency should apply using announcement: CBST-12215099-24-AC
Duties include, but not limited to:
Provides specialized information to technologists and phlebotomists as needed.
Works with the section supervisor to insure final data is completed and sent in by the appropriate deadlines after appropriate review.
Provide appropriate reports and/or data to the section supervisor and when requested attend service quality improvement meetings.
Generates monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports using the computer system when required; will review all reports for accuracy; serves as a resource for other technologists in regards to computer data entry and other computer options specific for the section; reviews daily worksheets and patient records for accuracy; verifies abnormal data; corrects data entry errors as required; generates informational and statistical reports using the VA computer system; and is familiar with record keeping requirement, record storage and information retrieval.
Assists the supervisor in the maintenance of control records for the department including those for reagents and equipment. Reviews daily quality control and reports any discrepancies to the supervisor.
Confers with physicians and other healthcare personnel concerning appropriateness of testing and the interpretation of unusual results. Incumbent also confers with other section heads when appropriate to ensure compliance with all procedures and protocols.
Responsible for establishing and maintaining a smooth workflow within the section, assuring that proper priorities are set in accordance with the daily needs of the section.
Periodically reviews all procedures in the section and makes recommendations for changes or modifications to the section supervisor. Also, works with the section supervisor to develop and implement protocols for performance of new tests in the section. Correlates test results, establishes parameters and monitors conformity to protocols.
Responsible for assisting in the training and proper performance of tests performed by medical technologists within Microbiology and Serology and by other technologists who perform testing procedures on other shifts.
Evaluates the performance of equipment in the section and assists in the evaluation of new equipment for selection and validation of equipment as it is placed into service, or as deemed necessary by the section supervisor.
Performs highly specialized tests in Microbiology and Serology and is also expected to perform routine and non-routine duties based on staffing patterns and as directed by the section supervisor and/or Laboratory Manager.
Follows safety procedures as prescribed by OSHA, Joint Commission and CAP. The incumbent notifies section supervisor, safety officer, or Laboratory Manager of possible equipment or environmental hazards.
Participates in the teaching of students and current and new staff members.
Provides teaching materials, prepares and grades tests, prepares wet and dry unknowns, evaluates student and staff performance. Meets training schedules set by Chief, P&LMS and/or Laboratory Manager.
Writes and updates procedure manuals in the Microbiology and Serology sections as directed by the section supervisor.
Assists in the evaluation of new methodologies and instrumentation in the section making recommendations to supervisor.
Trains or directs the training of lower grade technicians/technologists in the use of new procedures and instrumentation in the identified section.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 564-00869-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact
[email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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: Medical Technologist must be proficient in spoken and written English.
Education and/or Experience Combination: Candidates must meet one of the following:
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:(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:
Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT
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).
Grade Determinations:
Grade Requirements: GS-11 Requirements
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.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.
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.
Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section.
Skill to maintain, troubleshoot and repair laboratory instrumentation.
Ability to provide technical oversight in order to manage personnel and work assignments in a manner that assures completion of the laboratory workload.
Note: KSAs must be clearly reflected in your resume under description of duties to be found qualified for this position/grade level.
Preferred Experience: 5 Years of clinical laboratory experience in microbiology
References: VA Handbook 5005/72, Part II Appendix G24, Medical Technologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.
The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11
Physical Requirements:
Physical Demands: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
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 Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center
1100 North College Avenue
Fayetteville, AR 72703
US
- Name: Ashley Coleman
- Phone: 601-206-6900 X66909
- Email: [email protected]
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