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. Program 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

Current permanent VA employees and Federal employees from other federal agencies should apply under CBST-12532807-24-ARS Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Technologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Technologist-Career-Flyer.pdf The Medical Technologist (Quality Management Technologist) is the authority on regulations, accreditation, and Quality Management within a clinical laboratory setting, who provides independent, authoritative services to management at all levels of the organization, advising on various aspects of the specialized testing and unique diagnostic laboratory work as it applies to accreditation and regulatory compliance, quality assurance and performance improvement, safety management, and employee education programs in a clinical laboratory setting. This position directly reports to the Quality & Patient Safety Service and is an essential resource of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) management team in a consultative and supportive role. The Duties of the Medical Technologist (Quality Management Technologist) include, but are not limited to: Develops and maintains a comprehensive Quality Management Program, ensuring each site's compliance with VHA Handbook 1106.1 and all accreditation and regulatory requirements in collaboration with each site's Medical Director. Provides technical oversight related to all regulatory and/or accreditation compliance questions across the VHSO laboratory system, including Fayetteville and Outpatient Clinic Laboratories. Makes site visits to each site requiring accreditation or subject to regulation by The Joint Commission (TJC), College of American Pathologists Laboratory Accreditation Program (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA), VHA Handbook 1106.1, and/or other laboratory regulating or accrediting bodies quarterly with a minimum of 2 visits per year. Chair of the VHSO P&LMS Quality Performance Improvement Committee. Member/participant in the P&LMS Tissue and Transfusion committee and any other service or system-level committees as assigned. Ensures each site laboratory adheres to all practices and regulations related to workplace safety according to all OSHA, TJC, CAP, and other regulatory bodies. Performs periodic inspections, alone or in conjunction with the laboratory safety officer or other safety personnel. Works as a consultant with leadership to eliminate waste and variation while increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of all laboratory and related hospital operations. Reviews laboratory processes to assess that laboratory site policies, procedures, and practices are standardized and consistent. Provides resources on Quality, Performance, and Process Improvement principles and practices as required to meet performance measures, regulatory and accrediting requirements, and standardization across the VHSO system. Helps develop training programs that enable operational leaders to achieve strategic and annual operational goals aligned with the organizational priorities. Serves as P&LMS authority on internal and external regulations, standards, and requirements, including The Joint Commission, CLIA, CAP, and other relevant bodies. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authoried Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authoried EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564-00917-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: 1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g. 2. Education and/or Experience Combination: (a) 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 (b) 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 (c) 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 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. 3. Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. 4. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). GRADE DETERMINATION: Medical Technologist (Quality Management Technologist), GS-11 Experience. Must have one (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the full performance level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled. OR Education. Must have three (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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices of medical technology sufficient to perform the full range of duties involved in planning, coordinating and evaluating laboratory services. Knowledge of quality management standards. Knowledge of accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements pertaining to laboratory operations. Comprehensive knowledge of statistical evaluation and analysis. Knowledge of laboratory operations and relationships to the organization. Comprehensive knowledge of laboratory quality control/assurance policies, procedures and principles, as well as safety practices and regulations. Preferred Experience: Possess knowledge of regulatory agencies, accreditation, performance metrices, and qualify/safety programming. Have effective communication, computer, and organization skills to support efficient administration office functions. Possess knowledge of the VHSO health care system, including CBOC's and the role of Quality & Patient Safety Service (QPS) in regard to Pathology & Lab Medicine Services (P&LMS) as a Quality Manager Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Demands: May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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 Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center 1100 North College Avenue Fayetteville, AR 72703 US
• Name: Alan Stagg-Scalia
• Phone: (501) 231-9930
• Email: [email protected]