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

The position is located in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the New York Harbor Health Care System. The incumbent serves as a Lead Technologist in the Microbiology Laboratory: General Bacteriology, Parasitology, Mycology, Mycobacteriology, Molecular and Serology Sections. He or She facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that task, priorities, goals and achievements are coordinated with management. Technical duties 70% Perform general bacteriology culture identification and susceptibility testing, mycobacteriology specimen concentrations, slide preparation, staining, identification and susceptibility, mycology, slide preparation. Prepares reagents, media , verifies correct instrument operation; standardizes, performs, and evaluates results for a wide variety of tests in parasitology, mycology, mycobacteriology and general bacteriology. Perform parasitology preparation and identification. Triage MRSA specimens and perform technical work-up of MRSA specimens Carry out and reads and interprets gram-stained smears. Performs antibiotic sensitivity testing on clinically significant organisms. Choose the correct media for proper identification and be able to evaluate results of specimen. Enters accessions and results of laboratory tests into the computer Participates in performance improvement activities. Correlates abnormal laboratory data with pathologic states to determine validity and/or whether follow-up tests should be performed Inoculate specimens according to established protocols. Recognize colony morphology and properly isolate pathogens from normal bacterial flora. Make special manual minimal inhibitory and bactericidal tests. Investigates technical, instrumental, and/or physiologic causes of unexpected test results. Participates in performance improvement activities, evaluation of new test methodologies/instrumentation, and management of laboratory data. Correlates abnormal laboratory data with pathologic states to determine validity and/or whether follow-up tests should be performed. Verifies specimen and patient information, determines internal or external testing of specimen, and enters data. Prepares and sends specimens to reference laboratories Examines incubated media, must be able to recognize colony morphology and properly isolate pathogens from normal bacterial flora. Performs the full range of laboratory testing on any/all laboratory shifts including (but not limited to) duty on weekends, holidays, nights, on-call rotation and/or other shifts. Incumbent may be required to rotate/work different shifts. Incumbent may be assigned to rotate to different areas of the laboratory at times of peak workload. Lead duties 30% Provides technical leadership and oversight for the personnel in the section/laboratory. Plans and coordinates daily activities for laboratory personnel. Provides documentation and makes recommendations to the manager for performance evaluations and/or disciplinary actions. Teaches theory and procedures using educational methodology to clinical laboratory science students. Assists with the orientation and training of employees. Acts as a liaison to other departments of the medical center. Facilitate communication on a daily basis. Order supplies and monitor expenditures. Provide budget input. Coaches team in the selection and application of appropriate problem-solving methods and techniques. Makes adjustments to accomplish the workload in accordance with established priorities to ensure timely accomplishment of assigned team tasks. Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work, checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to see that the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines, and quality have been met. Prepares reports and maintains records of work accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and; Coordinates the preparation, presentation, and communication of work-related information to the supervisor. Represents the team in dealings with the supervisor or manager for the purpose of obtaining resources; i.e. (use of overtime or compensatory time). Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm weekends and holidays as needed Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:000000 EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Medical Technologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Technologist-Career-Flyer.pdf

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. 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. 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. 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. 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 : (1) Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. 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 Determinations: GS-11 (a) 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, (b) 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. Lead Medical Technologist. Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals and achievements are coordinated with management. Responsible for all aspects of operation in their area of specialty including preparation and maintenance of records and reports, analysis of testing methodologies, training, instrumentation and compliance. Acts as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice. b. 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. c. Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section. d. Skill to maintain, troubleshoot and repair laboratory instrumentation. e. Ability to provide technical oversight in order to manage personnel and work assignments in a manner that assures completion of the laboratory workload. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24. MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-644 Veterans Health Administration. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. Work Environment: A majority of the 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. A smaller portion of work is performed in a laboratory environment where safety precaution, such as standard precautions the use of personal protective equipment are required.

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 VA NY Harbor Healthcare System 423 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 US
• Name: Maritza Cazares
• Phone: 718-584-9000 X6668
• Email: [email protected]