Clinical Laboratory Scientist Job in Bronx, NY

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: 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).
• Failure to Obtain Certification: In all cases, CLSs must actively work to meet requirements for certification starting from the date of their placement into the occupation. At the time of appointment, the Human Resources (HR) Office staff, in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide the employee with the written requirements for certification, including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in separation from employment.
• Loss of Credential: If an employee fails to maintain the required certification, management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately remove the employee from duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation. This may also result in separation from employment.

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).
Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

• (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the 5 occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• (2) If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted.
• (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
• (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
  • NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-11.

• (1) Experience or Education: Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below:
  • (a) Experience: 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. OR
  • (b) Education: Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science.
• (2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • (a) Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
  • (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
  • (c) Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
  • (d) Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
  • (e) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
  • (f) Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
  • (g) Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the health care team, external relations, customer service, and patient education.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: The work involves regular and recurring physical exertion, such as standing for long periods of time, use of microscopes, some lifting loading and unloading reagent packs, sitting at desk, counter, or bench top with operations of the computer terminals, telephones, and various workstations associated with the respective instrumentations in use.

Work Environment: The work is performed in pathology and laboratory medicine service where there is risk of exposure to contagious disease, carcinogenic materials, caustic reagents, noxious fumes, and flammable liquids. The work environment is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent is required to use personal protective equipment or gear, such as laboratory coats, aprons, gloves safety goggles, face shields, chemical fume, and biological hoods, and adopt sterile techniques in the daily work environment. The work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current CLS practices. The experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment as a CLS in the health care field. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement.

Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek. For example, an individual employed 20 hours per week, or on a half-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to CLS experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level (FPL), the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Victoria Moersdorf

Phone

908-536-9812

Email

victoria.moersdorf@va.gov

Address

Bronx VA Medical Center
130 West Kingsbridge Rd.
Bronx, NY 10468
US