Lead Histopathology Technologist

Summary

The Lead Histopathology Technologist is placed with Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services (PALMS) at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System - Reno - Nevada.

• United States Citizenship:
  Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education or
  
  Experience:
  
  Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university - leading to a bachelor's or higher degree - that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist - such as - but not limited to clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• OR - a Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both) OR - Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education - leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree - with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist - such as clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - premedical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy Foreign
  
  Education:
  
  To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials - and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Certification:
  Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam:
  Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) OR One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation - embedding - microtomy - processing - and staining in a histopathology (clinical - veterinary - industry - or research) laboratory
• Loss of Certification:
  Employees who fail to maintain the required certification must be removed from the histopathology technologist - GS-0601 occupation - which may result in termination of employment
• English Language Proficiency:
  Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).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)
• Preferred Experience:
  
  Prior lead experience (must be able to lead/provide instruction/orientation and assign/organize workload)
• Current histology experience
• minimum 3 years laboratory experience including routine cytology specimen collection and processing and histology procedures including tissue processing - embedding - microtomy - frozen section as well as special stains (hand staining) and IHC procedures (Benchmark Ultra)
• Equipment/test troubleshooting
• research - development - testing - optimization and validation of histochemical stains - photochemistry (IHC) and/or in situ hybridization (ISH) protocols - including - but not limited to - new antibodies - probes - detection protocols/kits - new lots and concentrated antibody titrations
• Development of standard operating procedures
• Familiarity with credentialing and oversight authorities
• Grade Determinations:
  In addition to the basic requirements listed above - the following experience criteria must be met: GS-11 Lead Histopathology Technologist - Education or
  
  Experience:
  
  At least 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be…