Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

This position is located in the Microbiology Department of the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service, Cincinnati VAMC, Cincinnati, OH. The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast IN with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division.

The Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Specialist has full supervisory experience in a complexity index group 1 laboratory or in a complexity index group 2 laboratory that performs at least 1 million Standard Billable tests annually (reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Supervises and manages the day-to-day work of clinical laboratory scientist and technicians of highly complex test performance for accuracy, efficiency and promptness.
• Prepares clinical laboratory scientist schedules and work-station rotations in a timely manner, adhering to prescribed guidelines as directed by Laboratory Manager. Makes adjustments among departments as needed to maintain efficient operation of the Laboratory.
• Responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance.
• Assures corrective action is initiated when test performance deviates from established performance specifications. When standard and control sample value are unacceptable.
• Oversees the daily work of lower grade clinical laboratory scientist and technicians, the training and orientation of medical technician students, establishing priorities and deadlines for regular and special work assignments, and communicating to appropriate staff. Monitors assignments to completion and prepares necessary reports of outcomes.
• Administers and maintains control over time and leave in order to provide adequate coverage of the Off Shift Department. Plans, organizes, prioritizes, assigns and delegates the work of the Department to assure an efficient workflow to optimize laboratory productivity, revising plans as necessary to accomplish the required workload.
• Prepares scheduled tours to meet workload needs. In cases of emergency, re-distributes workload within the department including placing themselves in a bench to ensure continuous quality service is provided.
• Determines procedures to be performed as necessary and follows up work completion by accepting, correcting or rejecting work of Department personnel.
• Reviews work in progress or upon completion, as necessary. Keeps track of priorities and assures they are met.
• Analyzes workload and keeps daily, monthly and annual statistics.
• Determines need for staffing and new development in technology and methodology and advises management of anticipated requirements. Reviews and analyzes records and reports of work production costs and provides recommendations for equipment and staff resource utilization to the Laboratory Manager.
• Interviews applicants and recommends action for approval to Service Chief.
• Assures orientation, training, and competency assessment of staff.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday: 07:30 - 16:00
Recruitment Incentive: EDRP
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN10HRCCOE@va.gov, the EDRP office for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
Telework: Ad hoc.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92777A

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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.

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 from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics.
• Foreign Education. 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, automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.
• Certification-Documentation Required - 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).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).

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 Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-13

• Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12, is required for all GS-13 assignments.
  • The CLS has full supervisory responsibility in a laboratory where at least three of the five following conditions are met outlined below in (A) - (E).
    • (A) Lab is a complexity level index group 1 or 2 based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA facility Complexity Model History.
    • (B) The laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).
    • (C) The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory personnel including at least one GS-12 subordinate.
    • (D) Lack of on-site pathologist.
    • (E) Oversight of more than one laboratory specialty.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting, and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans, and judge effectiveness of the operation.
• 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.
• Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Ability to analyze organizational, technical, and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result inefficient laboratory operation.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
• Ability to set short and/or long-term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

Preferred Experience: 5 plus years of Microbiology experience.

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.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

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.

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.

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

• Professional Certification
• Resume

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

Please provide a photocopy of your physical card or a copy of your CMP Renewal Notification located under CMP Declarations on the ASCP website. NOTE: Screenshots of digital cards obscure pertinent information and will not meet the proof of certification requirements.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• CV/Resume - Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation here.
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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