Pathology Specialist Job in Oklahoma City, OK

Vacancy No. CBSU-12752264-25-MN Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $88,621.00 to $115,213.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/25/2025 Close Date 7/2/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Oklahoma City, OK


Summary

The position serves as a Pathology Specialist and is an assistant to the Physician-Pathologist in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service within the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL), Individuals with disabilities, Former federal employees eligible for reinstatement; 30% Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA), and Military spouses and other status eligible applicants.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to:

  • Ensure precise collection and preservation of tissue specimens for diagnostic purposes, implementing rigorous protocols to maintain sample integrity and compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Train and supervise junior staff in specimen collection techniques, emphasizing the importance of precision and adherence to regulatory guidelines.
  • Maintains continuity of functions and provides full medical and administrative support functions within the clinic to both clinical laboratory and administrative VA staff using computer software applications, databases and automated systems to accomplish the requested tasks.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of implemented laboratory protocols through performance metrics, identifying areas for improvement.
  • Develop and monitor detailed project plans for laboratory workflow enhancements, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and regulatory standards.
  • Coordinate and oversee strategic initiatives in laboratory management, ensuring seamless integration of new procedures and compliance.
  • Prepare, stain, and analyze frozen sections with precision to support immediate and accurate intra-operative diagnostic decisions, contributing to real-time surgical interventions.
  • Perform comprehensive diagnostic tests, including advanced histopathological and immunohistochemical assays, ensuring accurate and timely results for patient care decisions.
  • Conduct detailed gross examinations of complex surgical pathology specimens, meticulously documenting observations, ensuring accuracy in sectioning and collaborating with pathologists for optimal diagnostic outcomes.
  • Perform proactive maintenance and calibration of advanced histological equipment, such as cryostats and microtomes, ensuring operational efficiency and minimizing diagnostic delays.
  • Champion quality assurance initiatives, analyzing laboratory workflows, identifying improvement opportunities and implementing changes to optimize patient out-comes.
  • Utilize advanced histopathological and imaging techniques to accurately process and analyze surgical specimens, ensuring adherence to strict diagnostic standards.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs by implementing assessment tools and feedback mechanisms to continuously improve learning outcome for pathology trainees and staff.
  • Design and deliver customized training programs for medical trainees, emphasizing advanced techniques in surgical specimen processing and diagnostic methodologies.
  • Develop innovative educational materials and interactive workshops to train pathology residents and laboratory staff on emerging diagnostic techniques and technologies.
  • All other duties as assigned


Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Pathology Specialist/PD145490
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/02/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.


You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
  • Individual Occupational Requirement: This series has the following Individual Occupational Requirement: Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. NOTE: Must include copy of transcripts
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-10 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Professional knowledge of gross and microscopic human anatomy, pathophysiology, and embryology to distinguish normal versus disease states, including variations in size, configuration, and structural details of all human organs and organ systems, including visceral organs, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, and respiratory system at all stages of development; Knowledge and skill sufficient to use and maintain complex instruments (e.g. microtome, cryostat, cameras, and automatic tissue processor). Knowledge of various teaching materials and training techniques, and the ability to apply these tools to individual training situations, to effectively instruct pathology resident physicians, other trainees, and new staff physicians of varying levels of competence (new resident physicians through senior residents and new staff physicians) in sophisticated methodologies and techniques; Comprehensive professional knowledge of anatomic pathology and its theoretical bases to teach detailed interpretation to pathology residents and other trainees, including pathogenesis of disease processes, understanding of etiologic agents, host response to injury by both common and unusual diseases, interpretation of iatrogenic disease, and effects of various therapeutic regimens on tissue systems, discernible by both gross and microscopic criteria. Extensive knowledge of current literature, scientific methodologies, and state-of-the-art practices in anatomic pathology to include histology. Incumbent is familiar with permanent and frozen section techniques and standard biochemical stains. Incumbent is knowledgeable about Immunology and Cell Biology sufficient to comprehend complex theories and reactions related to Immunohistochemistry. Understand nature of antibody reactions with highly specialized tissue antigens; Extensive knowledge of methods for handling surgical tissues, the kinds of information needed by the surgical staff (margins, depth of tumor invasion, etc.), and how this information can best be provided by careful examination, morphometric interpretation, description, and selection of appropriate tissue samples, with ability to determine which portions are important, the number of samples to be taken, the appropriate plane of sectioning, etc.; Knowledge of Federal regulations and administrative policies and procedures to direct, guide, counsel and evaluate personnel, prepare administrative reports, formulate budget requirements, order equipment and supplies, and plan and provide for effective operation of the various activities of the Anatomic Pathology Service.
  • Preferred Experience: Experience assisting in the gross examination and dissection of surgical pathology specimens and/or preparation of specimens for histologic processing. Familiarity with laboratory protocols and quality assurance procedures within an anatomic or clinical pathology setting. Knowledge of medical terminology and anatomy sufficient to identify specimen sources and ensure accurate processing. Experience supporting pathologists in diagnostic workflows, maintaining detailed records, and ensuring compliance with laboratory safety and regulatory standards. Certification or formal training as a Pathologist Assistant or in a related health science field is preferred.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Diagnostic Medical Testing
  • Education and Training
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Specimen Collection
  • Technical Competence


Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of standing while performing gross examinations and teaching others to do so, recurrent bending when performing frozen sections and autopsies, sitting, intense concentration in noisy and congested areas, and walking moderate distances between alternate work sites. It occasionally involves moving human bodies and lifting objects up to 40 pounds. Performance of duty requires above average manual dexterity in dissecting specimens and cutting frozen sections, good hand-eye coordination, and normal color vision. The work involves regular and recurrent exposure to irritating and/or toxic chemicals, volatile organic solutions, disagreeable odors, and potentially infectious material. Protective gear and special safety precautions are required and include protective agents such as a laboratory coat, gloves, mask, respirator, and eye protective devices, as necessary. Incumbent occasionally may be required to work irregular hours or shifts. Incumbent may be required to work in contaminated and infectious areas, wards, and laboratories and will be required to receive immunizations and/or occupational health examinations as determined by medical authorities to reduce health hazards.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level, however is required for the Individual Occupational Requirement.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

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.

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

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.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • PCS Orders
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Professional Certification
  • Proof of Marriage Status
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
  • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
  • An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
  • Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
  • Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/02/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12752264.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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.

Agency contact information

VISN 19 HR Contact Center
Address
VA Oklahoma City Health Care System
921 Northeast 13th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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