Clinical Laboratory Scientist

About the role

Join the Indian Health Service as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist providing vital, life-saving diagnostics to American Indian communities. Advance your career, enjoy competitive benefits, and be part of a mission that transforms lives every day.

Responsibilities

• Conduct standardized clinical laboratory testing in areas such as chemistry, hematology, microbiology, urinalysis, serology, and immunology using established procedures.
• Collect and prepare patient specimens for routine analysis.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment.
• Prepare reagents and quality control materials.
• Recognize abnormal findings or testing discrepancies and report issues to supervisory or professional staff.
• Perform quality control, maintain laboratory records, and follow biosafety, infection control, and accreditation requirements.
• Evaluate specimen suitability and prepare specimens for analysis.
• Interpret test data, evaluate abnormal or unexpected findings, independently troubleshoot testing discrepancies, and implement corrective actions to ensure accurate laboratory results.
• Resolve specimen handling issues and prepare specimens for specialized testing.
• Perform quality control activities while maintaining compliance with biosafety, infection control, accreditation, and laboratory regulatory requirements.

Requirements

This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Delegated Examining Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served, and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry, and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.
• Completion of one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the duties listed above.
• Completion of one (1) year of graduate-level education from an accredited college or university in clinical laboratory science/medical technology, a discipline or specialized area of medical technology, or a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled.
• A combination of graduate education and specialized experience that, when combined, meet the minimum qualifications as described above for the GS-07 grade level.
• Completion of 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree, or a master's or equivalent graduate degree, from an accredited college or university in clinical laboratory science/medical technology, a discipline or specialized area of medical technology, or a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled.
• A combination of graduate education and specialized experience that, when combined, meet the minimum qualifications as described above for the GS-09 grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the first 18 semester hours may be used in combination with specialized experience.
• Completion of 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, from an accredited college or university in clinical laboratory science/medical technology, a discipline or specialized area of medical technology, or a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled.
• A combination of graduate education and specialized experience that, when combined, meet the minimum qualifications as described above for the GS-11 grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the first 36 semester hours may be used in combination with specialized experience.