Basic Requirements:
- Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
- English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
- Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
- Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
- Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
- 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).
- Exception for Non-Certified:
- Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of 4 the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency.
- Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
- Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL.
- Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
- Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.
Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
Foreign Graduates: 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:
- 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
- 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 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.
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 Determination:
Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist GS-12
Experience: 1 year of creditable experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required for all GS-12 assignments.
Assignment: This assignment is generally found in less complex facilities based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History. NOTE: Reference the GS-13 Supervisory CLS assignment to determine the most appropriate assignment for the laboratory. For all supervisory assignments, the CLS must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL that consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. The CLS must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-11 grade level. The supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The supervisory CLS ensures that orientation, training, competency assessment, and continuing education requirements are met. The individual ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements. The supervisory CLS establishes and monitors the quality of preanalytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective actions. This individual develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements. The supervisory CLS is responsible for professional and administrative oversight of operations, including fiscal and resource management. The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations and laboratory accrediting agency regulatory requirements sufficient to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory.
- Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.
- Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methods of clinical laboratory technology and operations.
- Skill in applying leadership principles such as interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
- Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
- Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long-term goals, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.
- Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.