Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

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. Program Approval , award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403 (f)
• Education. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • 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:
    • 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
    • The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.

NOTE : Possession of a certification identified in 4c, automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

Certification-Documentation Required - Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.

• Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
• Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
• 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).

Grade Determinations : In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-13

• Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12

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

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting, and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans, and judge effectiveness of the operation.
• Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.
• Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Ability to analyze organizational, technical, and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result inefficient laboratory operation.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
• Ability to set short and/or long-term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work are moderate. The work includes the ability to maneuver in and behind instrumentation for troubleshooting and maintenance procedures. Some work is sedentary (4-7 hrs.) with periods of walking (2 hrs.), bending and or kneeling (3hr), lifting and carrying of reagents, equipment, and files (15-44 lbs.). There may be some extended periods of standing (6-8 hrs.); near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing aid (permitted); emotional stability; ability to hear whispered voice; the use of fingers is required including typing (4-6 Hrs.); reaching above shoulder; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination required. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: .