Duties
The supervisory CLS performs higher-level duties consisting of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety, well over 25% of the time. Functions also include (but are not limited to):
- Oversees the operations of a complexity level index group 1 laboratory that performs at least 5 million Standard Billable Tests annually. GS-0644-13, Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist 2
- Exercises full supervisory responsibility for planning, directing, and assessing work, assigning tasks, and prioritizing resources across multiple laboratory sections (e.g., Molecular, Flow Cytometry, Cytogenetics, Processing, Send Outs, Urinalysis, Chemistry, Special Chemistry, Hematology, Coagulation, Immunohematology, & Microbiology and Off shift Operations).
- Ensures adequate staffing levels and adjusts workloads, schedules, and assignments to meet dynamic clinical and administrative demands.
- Collaborates with the Laboratory Manager, Laboratory Director, and other leaders to align laboratory strategies, goals, and objectives with medical center and VHA missions.
- Supervises a contingent of CLS and laboratory personnel, including at least one GS-12 subordinate and multiple levels of laboratory staff (GS-07, GS-09, GS-11, and GS-12).
- Initiates recruitment actions, conducts interviews, and recommends appointments, promotions, awards, and disciplinary measures. - Provides ongoing performance management, including setting performance standards, preparing performance evaluations, identifying training needs, and verifying staff competency at orientation, six-month, and annual intervals.
- Acts as a point of contact for Human Resources in matters related to laboratory staffing, labor relations, and position classification.
- Develops, edits, and maintains policies, procedures, and process control documents to meet all regulatory and accrediting bodies' requirements (e.g., AABB, CAP, TJC, CLIA, FDA, VHA, OSHA)
- Oversees day-to-day performance of complex laboratory testing, ensuring adherence to established methodologies, standard operating procedures, and regulatory standards.
- Leads quality management initiatives, integrating laboratory QA/QC activities, proficiency testing, corrective actions, and continuous quality improvement strategies.
- Stays current on evolving guidelines, translating them into actionable policies and operational changes within the laboratory.
- Travels to other sites within the system to provide on-site assistance and ensure standardized quality and testing practices are maintained across all facilities.
- Performs and supervises a broad range of laboratory testing and procedures to maintain operational continuity, including off-hour shifts, weekends, holidays, and emergency coverage as needed.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 12:00 am -8:00 am CST with rotating weekends/holidays.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN17EDRP2@VA.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
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Telework: Not Available
Functional Statement #: 53959-F
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Requirements
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.
- You may be required to serve a trial 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
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.
- Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
- 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.
- 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.
- Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
- English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
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:
Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-13:
- Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) which is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12): 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 pre-analytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective actions.
- The CLS has full supervisory responsibility in a laboratory where at least three of the five following conditions are met outlined below:
- 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.
- The laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).
- The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory personnel including at least one GS-12 subordinate.
- Lack of on-site pathologist.
- Oversight of more than one laboratory specialty.
- KSAs: And the candidate must demonstrate ALL of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) should be reflected within your resume or on a separate document:
- 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 in efficient 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:
- Minimum 3 years Supervisory Experience
- Experience with Quality Assurance Program
- Experience with Regulatory and Accrediting agencies
- Minimum 5 years Generalist Experience
- Experience with Method Validation
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-13.
Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying under 15-44 pounds; reaching above shoulder; repeating bending and pulling for 1/2 hour; both hands required; use of fingers up to 8 hours; walking or sitting up to 4 hours; ability to distinguish basic colors; constant noise; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4 depth perception; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish shades of colors and hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental & Emotional Stability; exposure to chemical biologic agents.
Education
IMPORTANT: 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/.
NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. If your school was accredited by at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
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 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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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
- Other (1)
- PCS Orders
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
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 full 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 08/15/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12779288.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS 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.
- 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.
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.