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

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Technologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Technologist-Career-Flyer.pdf The Advanced Staff Technologist is a qualified, experienced MT assigned to ATC Assistant duties. Serves as a resource generalist and as a specialist in support of the MT Quality Assurance | Ancillary Testing Coordinator - two unique and critical laboratory positions combined that continue to evolve in scope and complexity. Participates in "in-service" training programs and continuing education and must work as a team member of the clinical laboratory and perform duties assigned. Duties: Higher level of professional oversight responsibilities Targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects ATC Assistant Works in close association with the QA/ATC and Lead MT Act as primary trainer and competency evaluator in the performance of ancillary testing procedures Travel to ancillary testing sites Develop and recommend policy and procedures for procurement and service requirements Assist in the validation studies, calibration, linearity, verification, lot to lot checks, review of quality control, maintenance and exchange, repair or troubleshooting of POC glucose meters Notify Nurse Managers and super users of issues with docking stations or data management servers Assist in checking samples, processing CAP survey materials, documentation of follow up Quality Indicators/Compliance requests and Proficiency testing recordkeeping Evaluates ancillary testing activities Creates, applies, and monitors reengineering and continuous performance improvement initiatives Identifies, defines, and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of the data and ensures the validity of data and problems Establishes and monitors the quality control system/record keeping systems and measures to assure the accuracy and validity of results Obtains data and complies with the practices, procedures and techniques Adheres to quality control measures Plays a central role in establishing and developing the testing and examination procedures Solves testing problems, develops new solutions to testing problems, performs newer/more complex tests and examinations Generalist Properly collects, handles, accessions, and labels specimens Evaluates the suitability of the specimen for analysis. Prepares specimens for analysis, ensuring that the physiologic state of the specimen properties is maintained Selects, performs, evaluates, and monitors the performance of test procedures. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction Conducts quality control procedures on equipment, reagents, and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports Operates a variety of instruments, calibrates and performs maintenance Performs additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal patient results Assists with coverage, orientation and training Assists in development, maintenance, and modification of various computer applications Participates in activities associated with process improvement Reports all concerns to the QA/ATC and Laboratory Manager Participates in the performance of CAP surveys, and blind proficiency samples from other institutions Performs other duties Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected] for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. 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. 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: 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. 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. Loss of Credential: Once certified, MTs must maintain their certification. Loss of certification will result in removal from the occupation and may result in termination of employment. 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 Advanced 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/72 Part II Appendix G24 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10. Physical Requirements: This work requires moderate lifting (15-44lbs), light lifting (under 15lbs), moderate carrying, light carrying, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, and hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental factors are working in dry atmospheric conditions, constant noise, working closely with others, and working alone.

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 Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Rebecca Hanson
• Phone: 509-434-7320
• Email: [email protected]