Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

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.

About the Role

Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientists facilitate team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals, and achievements are coordinated with management. They are responsible for all aspects of operation in their area of specialty, including preparation and maintenance of records and reports, analysis of testing methodologies, training, instrumentation, and compliance. They act as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals, and achievements are coordinated with management.
• Ensure coordination of tasks, priorities, goals, and achievements with management.
• Act as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty.
• Communicate the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values.
• Distribute, balance, and coach work and facilitate with problem-solving methods.
• Prepare reports and maintain records of work status.
• Resolve simple, informal complaints.
• Report performance, progress, and training needs of the team and on behavioral problems.
• Provide information on promotions, reassignment, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs.
• Manage workload and assign work responsibilities.
• Prepare records and reports, analyze testing methodologies, train, and ensure compliance with instrumentation.
• Act as a liaison to the supervisor and other departments/divisions of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty.

Requirements

• Experience: 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) experience includes independently carrying out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory, developing, performing, evaluating, interpreting, correlating, and validating the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results in line with current laboratory regulatory requirements. The work performed may be in a variety of laboratory specialties such as chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hematology, and immunohematology. Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automated methods.
• Knowledge: Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.
• Skills: Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation.
• Ability: Ability to develop procedures for new tests, modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations, manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section, provide or coordinate staff development and training, and provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimen requirements, and results.

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship, Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university, Certification (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, English Language Proficiency, Grandfathering Provision, Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Skills

• Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.
• Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation.
• Ability to develop procedures for new tests, and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations.
• Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section.
• Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.
• Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimen requirements, and results.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 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).
• 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: not available.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Schedule

Monday- Friday 7:00am 3:30pm