Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist; Off Shift

Overview

The Phoenix VA Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PALMS) is looking for a Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Off Shift) for the VA Carl T. Hayden Healthcare System. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until 27 April 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred at regular intervals or as vacancies become available. This announcement can be taken down at any time.

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.

• 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:
  
  A bachelor s degree or higher from an accredited college or university
• Certification:
  Candidates must meet one of the certification options below
• (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT
• (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT
• (c) 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)
• 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: (1) 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 (2) 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 the Certification section above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed
• Grandfathering Provision:
  May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations:
  Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist GS-12.
  
  Experience:
  
  Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) which is directly related to the position to be filled. This is required for all GS-12 assignments
• Knowledge,
  
  Skills and Abilities
  
  (KSAs):
  In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (A) Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice; (B) Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation; (C) Ability to develop procedures for new tests and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems related to complex and difficult situations;
  
  (D) Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section; (E) Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training; (F) Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimen requirements, and results
• Assignments:
  Fo…