Medical Laboratory Technician

Overview

The Medical Laboratory Technician work performed is in a variety of laboratory disciplines such as Hematology - Chemistry - Coagulation - Blood Bank - Toxicology - Urinalysis and Microbiology at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System.

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

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)
• English Language Proficiency
• MLT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education
• Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification
• Certification
• Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizations:
  American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) ASCP - Board of Certification - OR - ASCP - Board of Registry
• American Medical Technologists
• American Association of Bioanalysts
• Exception
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may receive a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed two years as a graduate MLT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) without the option to extend
• For grade levels above full performance level - the candidate must be certified
• Loss of Certification
• Management officials - in collaboration with HR Office staff - must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the MLT occupation who fail to maintain the required certification - which may also result in separation from employment
• Foreign Education
• Graduates of foreign MLT programs are considered to meet the basic education requirements if they have a current certification
• Grade Determinations Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) - GS-07:
  
  Experience
• In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level
• Experience at the GS-06 grade level includes - but is not limited to: (1) use independent judgment to perform the full range of duties in the laboratory - from sample collection to evaluating and communicating test results
• (2) perform day-to-day operations in the laboratory with minimal technical supervision while ensuring testing accuracy and quality of proper patient care
• (3) provide pre-analytic instructions to patients - VA staff and other external entities related to collection and processing of laboratory specimens
• (4) use processing techniques such as centrifugation - aliquoting - storage and packaging (considering stability factors) - and they accurately label and sort patient specimens
• (5) operate and maintain all instrumentation in assigned areas to deliver precise - timely and accurate laboratory results when analyzing body fluids such as blood - urine and tissue samples
• and (5) analyze laboratory findings and issue necessary reports and discuss results and findings of laboratory tests and procedures with supervisors - pathologists and other medical professionals as needed
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs i
• - iv
• and the advanced KSA as identified by the corresponding asterisk(s) if MLTs are assigned advanced MLT duties:
  Knowledge of concepts - principles - methodology of medical laboratory technology - regulatory and accrediting agency requirements and medicolegal requirements sufficient to perform complex diagnostic tests
• Skill in applying new scientific/technical developments and theories to laboratory testing
• Ability to work independently on a broad range of complex laboratory processes
• Ability to troubleshoot and repair specific/advanced complex laboratory equipment
• * Knowledge of laboratory information technology (IT) systems including troubleshooting systems issues - interface requirements between new instruments and existing IT infrastructure and laboratory IT test development
• *…