The NIH Clinical Center's Department of Laboratory Medicine (DLM) offers laboratory diagnostic support in the area of immunology hematology, phlebotomy, microbiology and chemistry. DLM is designated by the CAP as a full service laboratory and serves as the laboratory for all in/out-patient testing for the Clinical Center. Due to the physical environment in which it sits, DLM supports both the clinical testing for patients and in clinical application of research approaches to clinical testing.

Duties

As a GS-0644-09/11 Clinical Laboratory Scientist, your duties will include, but are not limited to the following: Receive, evaluate and process clinical microbiology specimens for testing. Read and analyze microbiology stains and cultures. Perform specialized and technically demanding analytical procedures for diagnostic and research purposes. Identify and address issues in microbiology testing that may affect results. Review, interpret and correlate laboratory results upon completion of tests. Perform quality assurance (QA) functions in support of a supervisor and recognize deficiencies and proposes solutions. Evaluate new procedures and to determine accuracy and evaluate suitability for clinical application. Train assigned personnel in laboratory procedures.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of the pre-appointment process (i.e., background investigation, verification of qualifications and job requirements, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, etc.)
• Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements within thirty (30) calendar days of the closing date of this announcement, including time in grade.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Tier 1 Emergency Essential Personnel.
• Position requires Education, transcripts required.
• Physical Requirement: Requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing and walking, bending over instruments and microscopes, and lifting light to moderately heavy items such as reagent packs and various supplies.
• The work environment involves regular and recurring exposure to infectious agents such as hepatitis, HIV and to noxious and flammable liquids such as xylene and formalin.
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist are required to use protective clothing such as lab coats, goggles, gloves, and must follow all Universal Safety precautions. Technologists work in a Biohazard Level 2 facility.
• Incumbents working with radioactive sources such as those found in blood irradiators will be required to complete a background security check to be certified as trustworthy and reliable by Division of Radiation Safety and DPSAC.
• If selected, you must pass a pre-employment medical examination.

Qualifications

You qualify if you meet the following qualification requirements: Basic Requirements Education A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level 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 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 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 1 or 2 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. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS To qualify for the GS-09 position: You must have completed two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree that is directly related to the duties of this position. OR You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following tasks: Reading microbiology stains and cultures; recognizing problems such as interfering substances and new organisms; performing Quality Assurance functions in support of the supervisor of a clinical microbiology laboratory; and participating in laboratory proficiency testing programs for microbiology. OR You must have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. To qualify for the GS-11 position: You must have completed three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctorate degree that is directly related to the duties of this position. OR You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following tasks: Performing microbiological analytical procedures for diagnostic and research purposes; analyzing microbiology stains and cultures; interpreting bacterial susceptibility results; evaluating, modifying or adapting new methods or revising standard techniques to improve quantitativeness, accuracy, precision, specificity or proficiency of analyses; and assisting infectious disease physicians in interpretation of microbiology test results and suggesting follow up procedures. OR You must have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12486187

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

Contacts

• Address National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20892 US
• Name: NIH HR Service Desk Branch E
• Email: [email protected]