Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Technical Specialist)

Clinical Laborory Scientist (Technical Specialist)

Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans Health Administrion

Veterans Health Administrion - South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Educion 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 applicion 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 Educion Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP applicion.

Summary

This position is eligible for the Educion 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 applicion 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 Educion Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP applicion.

Overview

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Accepting applicions

Open & closing des

07/25/2025 to 08/04/2025

Salary

$98,226 to - $127,752 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 12

Locion

1 vacancy in the following locion:

San Antonio, TX

1 vacancy

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

No

Travel Required

Not required

Relocion expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Excepted

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

0644 Clinical Laborory Science

Supervisory stus

No

Security clearance

Other

Drug test

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determinion process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

Announcement number

CAZM-12771482-25-RBW

Control number

841653000

This job is open to

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Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency th posted the job announcement.

Clarificion from the agency

This is an internal job announcement. This announcement is open to current permanent employees of South Texas VA Facility employees and CTAP eligible candides.

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Duties

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include but not limited to:

Serves as the subject mter expert within the assigned specialty area(s), providing authoritive advice on complex or emerging tests, interpretion of results, and alterne testing stregies.

Advises all organizional levels on the approprieness, clinical context, and utility of specialized tests, considering test specificity, sensitivity, and potential interferences.

Develops and revises policies, protocols, and SOPs for the assigned specialty area(s), ensuring they meet or exceed regulory, accredition, and professional standards.

Modifies or adapts new methods and technologies to improve or expand testing services, validing performance, and establishing reference intervals using sound stistical and analytical methods. - Ensures th testing in assigned area(s) meets accrediting agency (AABB, CAP, TJC, CLIA, FDA,) standards and identifies areas for improvement.

Reviews accredition checklists, identifies deficiencies, implements corrective actions, and monitors effectiveness.

Coordines proficiency testing assignments with the Quality Manager, investiges exceptions, and applies corrective actions as needed.

Works with the Laborory Informion Manager (LIM) during installion and upgrades to the LIS (e.g., VistA, CPRS) to ensure accuracy, da integrity, and efficient workflow in the specialty area(s).

Attends vendor training and serves as a resource for troubleshooting complex instrument issues, coordining with vendor field service engineers to resolve operional problems.

Trains and mentors' employees, students, and staff from other in laborory operions, policies, and SOPs reled to the specialty area(s).

Provides guidance on the use of document management systems to ensure proper development, review, and upding of laborory documents.

Manages reagent, consumable, and supply inventories, ensuring adeque stock, proper storage, and cost-effective utilizion. - Conducts market research, obtains vendor quotes, and collabores with Supervisory CLS or Laborory Manager on procurements and vendor evaluions.

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 7:30 am -4:00pm CST with roting weekends/holidays.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Stion (Relocion Assistance): Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact ..., the EDRP Coordinor for questions/assistance. Learn more

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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 : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Stement # : 53956-F

Permanent Change of Stion (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

All applicants tentively selected for VA employment in a testing designed position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested denied employment with VA.

Selective Service Registrion is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

Must be proficient in written and spoken English.

You may be required to serve a probionary period.

Subject to background/security investigion.

Selected applicants required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identificion required to complete pre-employment requirements ( ). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or ste-issued dentificion cards th are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identificion for employment.

Participion in the seasonal influenza vaccinion program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualificions

Basic Requirements :

United Stes Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Educion: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

Foreign Educion. To be creditable, educion completed outside the U.S. must be deemed least equivalent to th gained in a conventional U.S. program by a prive organizion specializing in the interpretion of foreign educional credentials. Gradues of foreign baccalauree degree programs meet the educional requirements if they meet either of the following: (1) Foreign transcripts are evalued by an acceptable evaluion agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laborory science degree program. OR (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT sting the individual is eligible to take the certificion examinion. NOTE: Possession of a certificion identified in 4c above automically determines the foreign educion as creditable and no further documention or proof of equivalency is needed.

Certificion: Candides must meet one of the certificion options below:

(a) Generalist certificion as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.

(b) Generalist certificion as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.

(c) Cegorical certificion or Specialist certificion by ASCP or AMT

Grandfhering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupion under a permanent, approprie, and legal placement on the effective de of this qualificion standard, are considered to have met all qualificion requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive educion and certificion where applicable. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfhering Provision as described in the VA Qualificion Standard for this occupion (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupion and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinions : Clinical Laborory Scientist (Technical Specialist), GS-12. In addition to meeting the all the basic requirements above for appointment, the following criteria must be used when determining eligibility:

Experience: Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) which is directly reled to the position to be filled. This is required for all GS-12 assignments. Examples of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11): Develops, performs, evalues, interprets, correles, and valides the accuracy of laborory procedures and results in line with current laborory regulory requirements; Performs a variety of laborory specialties such as chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hemology, and immunohemology; Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automed methods. In addition to routine testing, conducts quality control and routine maintenance of instrumention and troubleshooting; Correles abnormal lab da with phological stes, determines the validity of test results, and the need for additional tests; Performs targeted laborory responsibilities or projects may include laborory safety officer, analyzer specialist, primary operor on new test systems, quality control specialist, supply control, and/or coordinor for the laborory competency assessment or proficiency/survey program.

KSAs: And the candide must demonstre ALL of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) should be reflected within your resume or on a separe document:

Knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles, methodology of medical laborory technology, regulory and accrediting agency requirements, medico-legal requirements, and pertinent stistics sufficient to perform complex diagnostic tests.

Knowledge of instructional techniques to instruct newly hired clinical laborory scientists and clinical phology residents in proper performance of tests and applicions of laborory procedures.

Knowledge of one or more advanced clinical laborory functions.

Skill to apply new scientific/technical developments to develop procedures for new tests and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relive to complex and difficult situions.

Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work of a clinical laborory.

Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work of the specific laborory section.

Preferred Experience:

Minimum 5 years' Microbiology Experience.

Familiarity in Bacteriology, Serology, Mycology, Mycobacteriology, Parasitology, and Molecular Microbiology.

Experience with regulion agencies.

Experience with competency assessments and proficiency testing programs.

Experience with new instrumention implemention and validion.

Experience with review of technical work and quality assurance.

Preferred Microbiology Specialty Certificion

Reference: For more informion on this qualificion standard, please .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying under 15-44 pounds; reaching above shoulder; repeing bending and pulling for 1/2 hour; both hands required; use of fingers up to 8 hours; walking or sitting up to 4 hours; ability to distinguish basic colors; constant noise; Near vision correctable 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4 depth perception; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordinion simultaneously; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish shades of colors and hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental & Emotional Stability; exposure to chemical biologic agents.

Educion

Note: Only educion or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your educion here: . If you are using foreign educion to meet qualificion requirements, you must send a Certifice of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for th educion. For further informion, : .

NOTE : If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this informion in your applicion. If your school was accredited the time of graduion but is no longer listed on the website, you must provide documention of accredition with your applicion packet.

Additional informion

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacion) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave a re (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the re which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment de and is not guaranteed.

During the applicion process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your applicion for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further considerion for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive stus.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-reled positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alterne method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentive job offer. For more informion about the Act and the complaint process, Human Resources and Administrion/Operions, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) The Fair Chance Act .

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Candides should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passione about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United Stes Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.

How you evalued

You evalued for this job based on how well you meet the qualificions above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your applicion, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documention verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect considerion for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through Nional Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizions (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience th transles directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify informion provided by a candide (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candide's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those th have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegrion support for military service members.

Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.

Required documents

Required Documents

Help

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Applicion Package which includes:

Resume

SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualificions for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your applicion, such as a copy of your transcript (if using educion to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

Cover Letter

DD-214/ Stement of Service

Disability Letter (Schedule A)

Disability Letter (VA)

License

Other (1)

PCS Orders

Performance Appraisal

Professional Certificion

Resume

Separion Notice (RIF)

SF-15

SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action

Transcript

If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements:

Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from

schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion .

Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring.

How to Apply

Help

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documention specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/04/2025 to receive considerion. To preview the questionnaire click .

To begin, click Apply Online to cree a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupional questionnaire.

Click Submit My Answers to submit your applicion package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and approprie documention is submitted prior to the closing de.

Agency contact informion

VISN 17 SSU USAS Group

...

Address

Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital

7400 Merton Minter Boulevard

San Antonio, TX 78229

US

Next steps

Once your online applicion is submitted you will receive a confirmion notificion by email. After we receive applicion packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applicions to ensure qualificion and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certifice(s) is issued and applicants notified of their stus by email. Referred applicants notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notificion once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the stus of your applicion any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applicions. Informion regarding your applicion stus can be found in the USAJobs Help Center .

NOTE: Participion in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement th all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccinion or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccinion has been granted. HCP in violion of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locions or who come into contact with VA pients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locions include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associed clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrive, remote and onsite, paid and without compension, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with pients outside VA medical facilities.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probionary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodion policy

Selective Service

Signure and false stements

Social security number request

Required Documents

Help

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Applicion Package which includes:

Resume

SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualificions for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your applicion, such as a copy of your transcript (if using educion to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

Cover Letter

DD-214/ Stement of Service

Disability Letter (Schedule A)

Disability Letter (VA)

License

Other (1)

PCS Orders

Performance Appraisal

Professional Certificion

Resume

Separion Notice (RIF)

SF-15

SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action

Transcript

If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements:

Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from

schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion .

Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring.

How to Apply

Help

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documention specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/04/2025 to receive considerion. To preview the questionnaire click .

To begin, click Apply Online to cree a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupional questionnaire.

Click Submit My Answers to submit your applicion package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and approprie documention is submitted prior to the closing de.

Expand Hide how to apply

Agency contact informion

VISN 17 SSU USAS Group

...

Address

Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital

7400 Merton Minter Boulevard

San Antonio, TX 78229

US

Next steps

Once your online applicion is submitted you will receive a confirmion notificion by email. After we receive applicion packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applicions to ensure qualificion and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certifice(s) is issued and applicants notified of their stus by email. Referred applicants notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notificion once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the stus of your applicion any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applicions. Informion regarding your applicion stus can be found in the USAJobs Help Center .

NOTE: Participion in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement th all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccinion or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccinion has been granted. HCP in violion of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locions or who come into contact with VA pients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locions include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associed clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrive, remote and onsite, paid and without compension, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with pients outside VA medical facilities.

Expand Hide next steps

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probionary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodion policy

Selective Service

Signure and false stements

Social security number request

Overview Help Accepting applicions Open & closing des 07/25/2025 to 08/04/2025 Salary $98,226 to - $127,752 per year Pay scale & grade GS 12 Locion 1 vacancy in the following locion: San Antonio, TX 1 vacancy Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Not required Relocion expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Excepted Promotion potential None Job family (Series) Supervisory stus No Security clearance Drug test Yes Position sensitivity and risk Trust determinion process Announcement number CAZM-12771482-25-RBW Control number 841653000