The Medical Technologist Advanced Staff Technologist is located within the Pathology and Laboratory Service Unit, at the Charles George VAMC, in Asheville, NC. where the work is performed in a variety of laboratory disciplines, which include, but is not limited to bacteriology, chemistry (including endocrinology and toxicology), molecular biology, coagulation, flow cytometry, genetics, hematology and immunology,

Duties

Medical Technologist (Advance Staff Technologist) duties includes, but are not limited to the following: Modifies or adapts new methods or techniques to improve or expand services. Develops protocols for performance of tests and evaluation of results. Recognizes methodology limitations such as linearity, interference, sensitivity, and specificity and considers these when drawing. conclusions about the validity of testing results. Performs validation/method verification studies for new systems. Consults with healthcare providers on logical protocol to follow in attempting to confirm the diagnosis or risk assessment of a patient. Provides advisory services to technicians, technologists, and other specialists. Instructs employees, students and other Medical Center staff in new of changed procedures. Trains new employees and employees being cross-trained; updates current employees. Responsible for inventory control, i.e., the inventory and discarding out dated reagents as appropriate, etc. Work Schedule: 4:00 pm to 12:00 pm, Monday to Friday Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. 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: MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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[1]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. OR 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 t its bachelor of medical technology degree. A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination. Certification: (1) 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 (C) certification can only perform duties in chemistry). 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). Grade Determination: GS-10: 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 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. 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. 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). Preferred Experience: References: VA Handbook 5005/72 PART II Appendix G24, dated May 12, 2014 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-10.. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Hilda Cobb
• Phone: (919) 408-1864
• Email: [email protected]