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: Individuals must have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university and successfully completed a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accredited cytotechnology program.
- Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
- Certification: (1) Candidates must currently possess the Cytotechnologist (CT) (ASCP) or Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) (ASCP) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification. (2) Loss of Certification. An employee who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.
- English Language Proficiency: Cytotechnologists must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:
Cytotechnologist (Supervisory), GS-12:
Experience: At this level, the candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level that is directly related to the position to be filled.
Assignments: For all assignments above the journey level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The supervisory cytotechnologist performs a full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the laboratory. The supervisor makes work assignments, writes performance evaluations and staff competencies, and solves administrative problems. The supervisory cytotechnologist plans, organizes, and communicates management goals, and ensures compliance with regulations. The cytotechnologist is able to demonstrate leadership and managerial skills, including interpersonal relations and conflict resolution, to effectively interact with employees, team leads, and managers. The supervisory cytotechnologist uses federal and state laws, regulations, and laboratory quality management procedures and principles to develop plans that aid in the laboratory quality management program and education, testing, and training of staff. In accordance with the CAP guidelines, the cytotechnologist may be responsible for rescreening previously screened negative cases and those designated "high risk" cases, before the diagnostic interpretation is released from the cytopathology laboratory.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills, including interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to effectively interact with employees, team leaders, and managers.
- 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.
- Skill in communicating management goals with individuals to obtain the desired effect, while ensuring compliance with established policies and regulations.
- Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, maintenance of staff competencies, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions, as appropriate.
- Knowledge of federal and state laws, regulations, and accrediting/regulatory requirements 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 education and training of laboratory staff, including annual CLIA proficiency testing.
- Ability to rescreen previously screened negative cases, including those designated as "high risk" cases, before the diagnostic interpretation is released from the cytopathology laboratory.
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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform moderate lifting up to 20 lbs., straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers and both hands, walking, standing for up to 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, use of both arms and legs. Specific visual requirements include use of both eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and shades of colors, hearing (aids permitted), clear, high cognitive function and emotional stability; ability to read ordinary type without strain.