This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

Technologists at this level generally have professional oversight responsibilities that may include a specific large scale automated analytical instrument system; a specific area of laboratory functions, such as employee competency records, supplies, quality control review, new method development, employee or student training; or providing professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists. Duties Modifies or adapts new methods or techniques to improve or expand services. Ensures that laboratory tests and procedures are consistent with accrediting agencies standards and requirements. Consults with healthcare providers on logical protocol to follow in attempting to confirm the diagnosis of a patient. Provides advisory services to technicians, technologists, and other healthcare professionals. Assists in training for laboratory technicians and technologists GS7-GS10. Assists Department Supervisor and Leads in workflow and accomplishing the mission. Knowledgeable in laboratory regulatory requirements including Joint Commission (JC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB). Evaluates test requests and patient samples to determine suitability for analysis and follows collection, identification, labeling, processing, and storage as outlined in laboratory policies and procedures. Prioritizes samples and testing to address stat requests, temperature sensitive tests, and special handling requirements. Enters and verifies laboratory results and validates computer data results. Recognizes unusual test results and performs or requests additional testing, per protocol, to clarify or confirm abnormal data. Prints and reconciles pending lists. Communicates issues to the following shift. Recognizes data with life threatening (critical) implications and follows laboratory processes for reporting critical results to the patients' physician/provider. Properly documents critical reporting. Uses computer options to gather, record, process, and report clinical data. Monitors computerized laboratory information system for malfunctions and inappropriate data transmissions. Maintains complete and accurate department records (quality control, routine equipment maintenance, temperature monitoring, patient testing, shift hand-off logs, daily, weekly, and monthly checks, and others as defined by each department). Assists in processing when needed and according to established protocols. Performs proficiency testing as assigned and according to laboratory procedures. Completes the paperwork accurately and within established timeframes. Ensures that all VHA/lab training, standard operating procedure review, and competencies are completed within the assigned timeframes. Maintains required education and certification for the position. Wears proper PPE to perform the assigned duties, and conducts work according to VHA, federal, state, and local Laboratory Safety Regulations. Reports any issues to immediate supervisor. Performs other related duties as assigned. Serves as primary operator on new and established test systems and assumes responsibility for maintenance and troubleshooting per procedure. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction. Prepares reagents, primary reference standards and controls as needed. Calibrates, standardizes, adjusts, and maintains instruments for testing. Verifies proper operation of instruments using established quality control procedures and checks to ensure accurate test results are reported. Assists in quality control review and input of QC data into offline system for submission of peer group data and validation of new QC when assigned. Identifies the cause of instrument malfunctions and troubleshoots equipment repairs if possible. Notifies management and contacts vendor (when instructed) for needed repairs. Communicates instrument issues during hand-off and DMS. Performs semiannual and annual checks on various instruments including pipette calibrations, linearity, method comparisons, precision, and accuracy. Performs validation/method verification studies for new systems as assigned. Assists in monitoring laboratory stock and notifies management of possible inventory shortages. Maintains laboratory in a clean and safe condition according to facility, agency, and/or accreditation requirements. Reports safety concerns to Safety Officer or Lab Manager. Work Schedule: 12:30-2300 - Varying Days Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

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. 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 in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) 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 have the below: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. Grade Determinations: Medical Technologist - GS-10 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques. Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems. Knowledge of the application of laboratory regulatory requirements. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training. References: VA Handbook 5005/72, Part II, Appendix G24 Physical Requirements: The duties of the position require periods of sitting, standing, and walking with occasional requirements to lift objects up to 20 pounds. Working in front of a computer for 6-8 hours per day is required. The position requires a good grasp of the English language, the ability to process written and electronic information, manual dexterity, a large degree of concentration, attention to detail, and working at top speed for several hours at a time. The work is performed in a medical center and involves risk or discomfort that requires safety and universal precautions typical of a medical center environment. Some stressful situations may occur.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Salt Lake City Health Care System 500 Foothill Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84148 US
• Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]