Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Laboratory Information Manager)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Qualifications

• 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
  • Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below:
    • (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT
    • (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT
    • (c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT
  • 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
  • English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.7403 (f)

• Grade Determinations: Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-12 - Assignments

  • Experience: 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required for all GS-12 assignments
  • Examples of experience: carries out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory - develops - performs - evaluates - interprets - correlates - and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results in line with current laboratory regulatory requirements - conducts quality control and routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting and correlates abnormal lab data with pathological states - determines the validity of test results

• Preferred Experience: None

Major duties

• Provides authoritative advice and consultation on the information system as they apply to the clinical laboratory

• Advises all organizational levels on functions and capabilities of the LIS

• Implements and maintains coding and mapping for laboratory test ordering - reporting - billing - and workload recording taking into account compliance principles

• Analyzes emerging trends - software and technology and adopts appropriate methods for local programs to meet agency goals

• Serves as the local expert for national software developers for the testing and validation of software packages

• Responsible for compliance with regulatory agency requirements as related to information systems and performs audits as needed

• Provides consultation and training of personnel on computer functions - including ordering options - and responsible for the maintenance of computer security keys

• Responsible for providing oversight of the laboratory information system

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

Benefits

• 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: Available

• Virtual: This is not a virtual position

• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized