This is an open continuous announcement. We accept applications for this occupation on an ongoing basis; Applicants will be referred to selecting officials on a continual basis until all vacancies are filled OR until the closing date of this announcement" This Job Opportunity Announcement will be used to fill a Supervisory Histopathology Technician GS-0646-9 position in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System.

Duties

This position is in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PLMS) of the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System (OKC VAHCS). The Supervisory Histopathology Technician must possess the knowledge and skills necessary to process surgical pathology specimens, Mohs micrographic surgery tissue, and cytology cell blocks obtained from a Veteran by a provider. The work performed by histopathology technicians is vital for pathologists and Mohs surgeons to interpret surgical and cytologyspecimens and provide diagnoses that allow clinicians to plan appropriate and life-saving treatments for Veterans. The incumbent at this level has supervisory responsibility for a staff of nonsupervisory personnel of GS-7 Advanced level Histopathology Technicians, GS-7 Histopathology Technicians (Advanced) Mohs and GS-6 Histopathology Technician (Full Performance). The duties and responsibilities of the Supervisory Histopathology Technician at this level include but are not limited to the following: - Ensures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements, expert knowledge of Federal and State laws to develop policies and procedures for the laboratory. - Establishes and monitors the quality of the pre-analytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective action. - Performs the full range of supervisory duties for the surgical pathology and Mohs laboratories, including responsibility for assignment of work performed, performance evaluations, recommendations for appointment, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions. - Develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements. - Responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area, to include budget execution, orientation, and competency assessment of assigned staff. - Develops, modifies, or adapts new staining methods or techniques, improving existing methods as necessary for Surgical Pathology and Mohs procedures. - Ensures the Mohs Histopathology Technicians are following the guidance of the Mohs Micrographic surgeon on precise orientation and a complete peripheral and deep margin for inspection. - Maintains the Surgical Pathology/Histology and Mohs Micrographic Surgery laboratories in Anatomic Pathology. - Maintains effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.- Ensures resources are in optimal working condition and addresses workflow needs, including slide management, quality assurance, and maintenance of equipment and slides. - Calibrates, operates, and maintains instruments and equipment used in surgical pathology, Mohs surgery, immunohistochemistry, and special stains. Also monitors work in progress often performing spot checks to ensure protocols are being followed. - Provides knowledge of specialized testing systems sufficient to make modifications and to assure appropriate quality controls and the maintenance of quality standards. - Provides on-the-job training to new employees and cross-training to staff. - Performs routine and complex histopathologic, Mohs micrographic surgery-related, and cytopathologic procedures, quality control and quality assurance procedures, operation, and routine maintenance of instrumentation, troubleshooting, and principles of performance improvement. - Prepares technically adequate slides of surgical pathology and cytology specimens by processing and embedding tissue, cutting, staining (including immunohistochemistry and special stains), and cover slipping. - Performs special testing including blister mapping and split skin direct and indirect immunofluorescence testing as needed.- Assists Pathologists when needed (i.e., frozen specimens, making tissue cassettes, retrieval of specimens and slides, recording data, miscellaneous paperwork). - Follows lab safety procedures and wears appropriate PPE while performing various tasks. - Prepares specimens and paperwork to send to reference laboratories and/or patients. - Demonstrates leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders, and managers. - Works with management to assure laboratory follows regulatory agency requirements and guidelines.- Performs additional tasks as instructed by the Anatomic Pathology Chief, the Laboratory Manager, the Mohs Micrographic surgeon, or the P&LMS Service Chief. Work Schedule: 07:00 - 3:30 PM (days vary) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 59030-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized according to agency policy. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. Histopathology Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5.a., this part. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Experience and Education (1) Experience. One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicants. ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician. OR, (2) Education(a) Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry; or(b) Successful completion of two academic years of study above high school that included at least 24 semester hours in Chemistry and/or in appropriate fields of biological science and successful completion of a 12-month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology. OR, (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Examples are listed below: (a) Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as biological science, surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or an associate's degree in a health care related field.(b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or histopathology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces. c. Certification. None Grandfathering Provision. All Histopathology Technicians employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation e. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Supervisory Histopathology Technician, GS-9 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. (a) Expert knowledge of Federal and state laws, regulations, and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order to develop policies and procedures for the laboratory. (b) Expert knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or education and training of laboratory staff. (c) Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees, team leaders and managers. (d) Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements and disciplinary actions. (e) Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long term goals and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, new technology. (f) Expert knowledge of concepts, principles and methods of laboratory technology and operations. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/102 PART II APPENDIX G55 Histopathology TechnicianGS-0646 Veterans Health Administration This vacancy is being announced above the Full Performance level at a GS-9. 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 VA Oklahoma City Health Care System 921 Northeast 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 US
• Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]