This announcement is for INTERMITTENT positions located in the Laboratory Services Division for the Bureau of Medical Services. The Clinical Laboratory Scientist coordinates a full range of clinical services in medical units within a assigned region. Responsible for planning and carrying out a diagnostic testing program for employees and eligible family members of the Department.

Duties

Evaluates the quality of area laboratory services and adequacy of equipment, personnel and working accommodations through onsite inspections and/or review of reports. Assesses laboratory needs and explores sources and methods of obtaining necessary resources. Assures compliance with quality control and proficiency testing programs, safety standards, accreditation requirements, and agency policies. Plans, implements and coordinates preventive maintenance programs and reviews record-keeping. Develops and maintains a career development program for laboratory personnel; identifies training needs and arranges for/personally conducts in-service training. Coordinates procurement of supplies, equipment, and instrumentation and assures compliance with budgetary and geographic limitations.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/
• Medical clearance is required.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. Applicants MUST meet the required basic entry qualification requirements described below: BASIC REQUIREMENT: Education A. A bachelor’s or graduate/higher degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. OR B. A full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post-bachelor’s certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology. OR, C. A bachelor’s or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids. This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable. Evaluation of Education and Experience: The major areas of clinical laboratory science are microbiology, clinical chemistry, hematology, and immunohematology (blood banking). Qualifying course work in these areas includes bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, tissue culture, virology, parasitology, endocrinology, enzymology, toxicology, urinalysis, coagulation, hemostasis, cell morphology, immunology, serology, immunoserology, immuno-deficiency, hemolysis, histocompatibility, cytotechnology, and similar disciplines or areas of laboratory practice. Related fields include physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, cell biology, embryology, pathology, genetics, pharmacology, histology, cytology, nuclear medicine, epidemiology, biostatistics, infection control, physics, statistics, and similar areas of science where the work is directly related to the position to be filled. For positions GS-7 through GS-15 (or equivalent), experience or graduate education must have been in (1) the general field of medical technology; (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology; or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled. Clinical laboratory intern (student medical technologist) experience in an education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) education program may be credited on a month-for-month basis toward meeting the GS-7 specialized experience requirement. Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. To qualify for this position, you MUST (1) submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application, and if selected, an official college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment; (2) transcripts must be legible and include your name, major, school name/location, course title/number, date completed, grade, and number of credits earned; (3) if you attended more than one college you must submit a transcript from each institution if you wish your education to be considered in qualifying you for this position; (4) all college coursework that may be pertinent to qualifying you for the position must be included on the transcripts. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position. IN ADDITION to meeting the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, applicants applying for the GS-12 grade level MUST have at least 1 year of specialized experience in (1) the general field of medical technology, (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology, or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled. The experience must be related to the work of the position, equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service, and demonstrate the following: Experience coordinating the full range clinical laboratory services in a medical unit within an assigned region.  Experience ensuring compliance with quality control and proficiency testing programs, safety standards, accreditation requirements, and agency policies. Experience processing specimens using equipment, instruments, or techniques necessary for specific analysis in a variety of fields (i.e., chemistry, hematology, immunology, blood banking, phlebotomy and urinalysis). There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.

Contacts

• Address U.S. Department of State 1999 Dyess Ave. Charleston Reg. Ctr., E119B Charleston, South Carolina 29405 United States
• Name: Phaytress Y. Kelley
• Phone: 771-204-9462
• Email: [email protected]