Supervisory Clinical Lab Scientist (Lab Manager)

Description:

The Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Laboratory Manager) position is required to oversee planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The Laboratory Manager develops guidelines, assesses laboratory effectiveness, and establishes and maintains quality assurance and quality management programs. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

Requirements:

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 :

• Citizenship: 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 : (1) 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. NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).

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).

Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

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:(1) 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 (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Grade Determinations : GS-14

Experience : 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-14 assignments.

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Laboratory Manager), GS-14. i The supervisory CLS serves as the Laboratory Manager (Lab Manager) and shares with the chief of laboratory service/medical director full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of laboratory service operations where at least three of the five following criteria are met outlined below in (A) - (E):

(A) The Laboratory is a complexity level index group 1 or group 2 based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History.
(B) The Laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).
(C) The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel including at least one GS-13 subordinate. (D) Lack of on-site pathologist/Chief with oversight of a large staff (typically > 20 employees). (E) The CLS oversees additional services (for example, Radiology, Sterile Processing, other).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities . In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(A) Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodologies of a major clinical laboratory program and operations to assess program effectiveness and provide authoritative guidance for operations, personnel, and management.
(B) Skill in administrative management such as budgeting, contracting, procurement, and property management in accordance with organizational (for example, VHA) regulations.
(C) Ability to collaborate with other departments and upper management in a medical center or health care setting or higher-level managers in regional or national offices such as VISN-level staff and VHA Central Office staff.
(D) Ability to plan and execute short- and long-range programs and/or goals through project management and tactical/ strategic planning.
E) Ability to provide advisory, planning, and surveillance services to clinicians, laboratory directors, and supervisors on specific functions, programs, or problems that are particularly difficult, widespread, or persistent.
(F) Ability to solve complex problems involving unique or controversial aspects of medical technology or laboratory management, new or unconventional methods, program changes or conflicts between scientific/technological requirements and regulatory or program requirements.
(G) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

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-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS14.