The Supervisory Histopathology Technologist position functions under the administrative direction of the P&LMS Service Chief and Chief of Staff. The primary purpose of this position is to provide first level supervision, planning, developing, implementing, directing, evaluating, managing, and coordinating the full range of procedures in Anatomic Pathology in the Histology lab section.

Duties

Duties may include but are not limited to: Develops, coordinates, and implements plans for providing training for subordinates. Communicates training expectations, and ensures completion of orientation, training, and competency assessments. Performs competency assessments to address employee's capabilities and ensures competency assessments are performed according to standard operating procedures. Ensures staff understands organizational goals and mission for P&LMS and BVAHCS. Addresses performance and conduct issues promptly as they occur, demonstrating skill in developing interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution, and handles issues with a consistent approach and documents when appropriate. Ensures employees have appropriate supplies, equipment, materials to perform their jobs well. Monitors inventory levels to ensure adequate supply availability. Communicates with purchasing agent in a timely fashion to ensure needed reagents, and supplies are ordered to prevent any interruption of services. Develops and maintains policies and procedures for quality control/assurance and ensures manuals are up to date, adequate for the work to be accomplished, and meets all accreditation standards. Assures all employees work in a safe, clean, work environment and promotes these practices among all employees of P&LMS. Provides authoritative consultative services to management at all levels of the organization as it applies to quality management in a Histology laboratory setting. Maintains a laboratory quality management program and ensures monitoring of components and customer feedback. Identifies, defines, and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of the collected data. Monitors laboratory quality control systems and performance indicators. Interacts with management officials and vendors providing inter-laboratory quality assurance and laboratory proficiency testing. Develops validation plans for equipment and methodology evaluations and evaluates statistical data collected. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. "NOTE: This applies to past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professions Trainees (HPT) only. VA HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or admitted to the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC). Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Candidates must be a United States citizen. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency: Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Individuals must meet one of the requirements below: Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university, leading to a bachelor's or higher degree, that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist, such as, but not limited to clinical biology, microbiology, physiology, pre-medical, medical lab technology, chemistry, immunology, physiology, anatomy; OR, Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both); OR, Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education, leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist, such as clinical biology, microbiology, physiology, pre medical, medical lab technology, chemistry, immunology, physiology, anatomy. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials, and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Certification: Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification. The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam: Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS); OR, One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation, embedding, microtomy, processing, and staining in a histopathology (clinical, veterinary, industry, or research) laboratory. Loss of Certification: Employees who fail to maintain the required certification must be removed from the histopathology technologist, GS-0601 occupation, which may result in termination of employment. Grade Requirement for Supervisory Histopathology Technologist, GS-11 Education and Experience: Must meet one of the following: (a) One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled; OR, (b) Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education that included a clinical practicum; OR, (c) A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in histopathology technology, or a directly related field that included a clinical practicum. Assignment: 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. The incumbent has full supervisory responsibility for smaller, less complex laboratories, or laboratories having no GS-11 positions subordinate to the supervisor. Employees in this assignment perform the full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the laboratory, including responsibility for assignment of work; performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions; and identification of continuing education and training needs. The incumbent ensures compliance with the accrediting agency and regulatory requirements, establishes and monitors the quality of the pre-analytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program, and initiates corrective action. This individual will develop policies and procedures, manage document control, develop performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements. The supervisor is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area, to include budget execution, orientation, and competency assessment of assigned staff. The supervisor will maintain effective interdepartmental relations with other services in order to accomplish medical center goals. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of Federal and state laws, regulations, and accrediting/regulatory requirements, in order to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory. (b) Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect, ensuring compliance with established policies, regulations, and procedures. (c) Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. (d) Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program, in addition to educating and training the laboratory staff. (e) Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills, including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution, to interact with employees, team leaders, and managers. (f) Ability to plan, organize, set short-term and/or long-term goals, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology. 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). References: VA Handbook 5005/118 PART II APPENDIX G65, Dated November 25, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform moderate lifting up to 20 lbs., straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers and both hands, walking, standing for up to 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, use of both arms and legs. Specific visual requirements include use of eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and shades of colors, hearing (aids permitted) clear, high cognitive function and emotional stability; ability to read ordinary type without eye strain.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]