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

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Laboratory Technician: https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to: Directs the operation of a full service, 9-hour, 5-days per week clinical laboratory serving on-site Inpatient and Ambulatory care departments and multiple CBOC locations. Provides first line supervision to staff within the Billings Benjamin Steele Laboratory including five sections (Chemistry, Hematology, Coagulation, Blood Gas/Urinalysis) and phlebotomy section. Develops position descriptions, functional statements and performance standards for the above personnel, and conducts the annual performance rating of those staff. Serves as the approving official of performance plans and/or annual performance appraisals for the above personnel and second line approval official for performance ratings of Health Technicians. Plans programs to be accomplished by subordinates, sets priorities and schedules for work completion. Control of work is accomplished by the use of subsection supervisory personnel, such as Chemistry, Hematology, etc. Renders decisions on work problems as presented by supervisory and non-supervisory personnel. Assigns and prioritizes work to subordinates, based on difficulty and requirements of assignments. Gives advice, counsel, and instruction to supervisory personnel and other individuals on both work and administrative matters. Advises Ft. Harrison management and the Chief of PALMS on problems of the units supervised that affect other services and the impact it may have on them. Interviews candidates for positions in PALMS and selects for appointment. Assures that all new personnel receive both the hospital and laboratory orientation. Makes recommendations for selection and promotion of personnel. Counsels and resolves complaints from employees, individually or as a group, not resolved at the level of the unit, such as Chemistry, etc. Oversees all disciplinary cases in the department as well as recommends action on cases. Participates in the resolution of Union and EEO complaints within Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. Identifies training needs of employees such as orientation training for new employees and competency re-training by consulting with section supervisors. Recommends continuing education training modules, and assures that all supervisors, office personnel, and phlebotomists complete the required hours of mandatory training required by the VA Montana Healthcare. Schedules and participates in periodic service meetings and routine management meetings to encourage unit communication and coordination. Oversees the execution of the P&LMS comprehensive quality assurance program including focus on pre and post analytical specimen monitors, monitors for all major laboratory testing sections and CBOC laboratory activities. Acts as a consultant to the Chief, PALMS regarding implementation of programs/policies initiated by the Chief. Prepares funding and staffing requests to appropriate committees while serving in this capacity. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 436-60158-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. English Language Proficiency: must be proficient in spoken and written English. Education and/or Experience Combination: 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 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 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: 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. A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination. Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. Grade Determinations: GS-12 - Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. Supervisory Technologist - The incumbent has full supervisory responsibility in a complexity index group 1 laboratory or in a complexity index group 2 laboratory that performs at least 1 million Standard Billable Tests annually (reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program). The incumbent supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel including at least one GS-11 subordinate. Recommends appointment, plans and assigns work, provides advice and counsel and evaluates work of subordinates. The supervisor is responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance and initiate corrective action. Verifies orientation, training and competency assessment of assigned staff. Develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals. Ensures all staff and affiliate staff are in compliance with accrediting and regulating bodies. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level. This individual manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements, and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution. The supervisor will maintain effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting and regulatory requirements in order to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans and the ability to judge effectiveness of the operation. 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. Knowledge of, and ability to, provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of staff; recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. Ability to analyze organizational, technical and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient overall laboratory operation. Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders and managers. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs and administer the allocated budget. Ability to set short and/or long term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, new technology, etc. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12. Physical Requirements: Standing or stooping for long periods of time. Mild physical labor to complete the tasks at hand. Exposure to blood, chemicals, and other bodily fluids. Other physical demands that coincide with the duties of a laboratory professional.

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 Montana VA Health Care System 3687 Veterans Drive Fort Harrison, MT 59636 US
• Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]