Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist; Laboratory Manager

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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f)
• Education-Transcripts Submitted. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following:
    • Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR
    • The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination
    • NOTE
      :
      Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.
• Certification-Documentation Submitted. Candidates must meet one of the certification options below,
  • Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
  • Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
  • Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.
    • NOTE
      :
      Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).

In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

• Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-13
• The supervisory CLS serves as the Laboratory Manager (Lab Manager) and shares with the chief of laboratory service/medical director full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of laboratory service operations where at least three of the five following criteria are met outlined below in (A) - (E):
  • The Laboratory is a complexity level index group 1 or group 2based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History.
  • The Laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).
  • The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel including at least one GS-13subordinate.
  • Lack of on-site pathologist/Chief with oversight of a large staff(typically >20 employees).
  • The CLS oversees additional services (for example, Radiology, Sterile Processing, other).
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodologies of a major clinical laboratory program and operations to assess program effectiveness and provide authoritative guidance for operations, personnel, and management.
  • Skill in administrative management such as budgeting, contracting, procurement, and property management in accordance with organizational (for example, VHA) regulations.
  • Ability to collaborate with other departments and upper management in a medical center or health care setting or higher-level managers in regional or…