Lead Medical Laboratory Technician - Phlebotomy/Point of Care

This is a Lead Medical Laboratory Technician (Lead MLT) position in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, Blood Draw Room (BDR). Lead MLTs independently perform duties of significant scope and complexity and provides oversight for technicians and phlebotomy staff. They lead three or more lab support positions, provide direction to the daily operations and assume responsibility for integrating and monitoring standard laboratory protocols.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major Duties Include, but are not limited to the following:

• Bench-Level Responsibilities:
  • Collects and processes specimens, ensures accurate identification and proper preservation of the specimen and controls physical conditions to ensure the physiological state of the specimen is maintained.
  • Evaluates specimen suitability for analysis and requests new ones if unusable. Prepares specimens while maintaining their physiologic properties.
  • Specimen collection and processing is performed independently, without supervision. Works as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignments.
  • Performs routine waived testing and quality control procedures, survey samples on Point of Care (POC) instruments, reagents and products, and maintains accurate records for quality control reports pertaining to waived testing.
  • Recognizes POC instruments malfunctions, common problems, troubleshoots and performs simple repairs.
  • Reviews, interprets and verifies test results for accuracy, reports them in the Laboratory Information System (LIS).
  • Reports and communicates significant or critical values promptly in accordance with policy. Consult with other members of the health care team, patients, and external customers regarding laboratory findings as appropriate.
  • Evaluates the validity of data in relation to the test system and accepted assay procedures. Correlates quantitative data with patient data (i.e., history, medications) to verify results.
  • Instructs, assists, and advises medical technicians, residents, hospital staff, patients, and students as necessary.
  • Maintains sufficient supply of phlebotomy materials, reporting shortages for resolution. Ensures in-date supplies are used, rotates supplies to minimize waste, and properly discards expired materials.
  • Adheres to all facility, local, state, and federal safety requirements. Conducts all work according to Laboratory Safety regulations.
• Leadership and Oversight Responsibilities:
  • Prepares weekly staffing schedules and adjusts daily assignments for the BDR, Building 79, and 4C clinic to ensure timely completion of duties (i.e. response to call-ins, leave, or changing priorities.)
  • Provides daily directions to staff and ensures minimum coverage levels are met.
  • Oversees specimen collection workflow, resolves routine issues, and ensures adherence to protocols.
  • Conducts competency assessments, direct observations, and training for staff and students in accordance with CLIA, CAP, and VA standards. Maintains training and competency records in MediaLab.
  • Plans and coordinates ongoing training to maintain staff proficiency across all BDR areas.
  • Oversees daily/weekly/monthly safety checks (eyewash stations, crash carts, chair inspections) and CoaguChek quality control testing, CAP surveys and troubleshooting.
  • Ensures the accuracy of attendance records in the Blood Draw Room (BDR), documents incidents (JPSRs, equipment malfunctions), and provides workload and quality reports to the supervisor.
  • The Lead MLT assists the Ancillary Testing Coordinator (ATC) with the laboratory point of care testing program.
  • Responsible for point of care testing in the blood draw room, including reagent lot validation, quality control and calibration verification testing, as well as proficiency testing, may include but not limited to coaguchek, glucose meter, iSTAT.

Work Schedule: Daytime hours, Monday - Friday; No weekends/No holidays???????
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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 (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: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to clearly demonstrate your experience in your application package may result in disqualification. All applicants are encouraged to submit responses to each Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSA) on a separate document.

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. Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification.
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizations.
  • (a) American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) i ASCP, Board of Certification. OR ii ASCP, Board of Registry.
  • (b) American Medical Technologists. OR
  • (c) American Association of Bioanalysts.
• English Language Proficiency. MLT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

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:

GS-7 Lead Medical Laboratory Technician

Lead MLTs independently perform duties of significant scope and complexity and assist with technician oversight. Lead MLTs lead three or more lab support positions, provide direction to the daily operations and assume responsibility for integrating and monitoring standard laboratory protocols to maintain continuous workflow and quality within the unit. Lead MLTs must do a combination of at least three of the following duties: prepare work schedules and assign tasks to ensure timely completion of duties; ensure laboratory resources are in optimal working condition and address workflow needs; provide guidance and support of the work unit in supervisory absence; train personnel (including students) in methods, procedures and use of equipment and instruments specific to the assigned area; provide input to supervisor on performance and training needs of employees; adjust work assignments due to absences or changes in priorities; resolve simple, informal complaints of employees and patients, refer more difficult problems to the supervisor; and recommend approval and/or disapproval of leave requests.

Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level, which is defined as:

1. Knowledge of MLT principles, practices, concepts and theories for sound independent work.
2. Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures to manage reagents and supply inventories using document control systems.
3. Ability to maintain, troubleshoot and repair instrumentation.
4. Ability to work as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignments.
5. Ability to use technical judgment to interpret laboratory results.
6. Ability to apply complex written laboratory instructions.
7. Ability to consult with other members of the health care team, patients and external customers.

AND

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

1. Knowledge of techniques to instruct students and newly hired staff to properly perform tests and application of laboratory procedures.
2. Skill in conducting laboratory procurement procedures to maintain appropriate levels of reagent and supply inventories.
3. Ability to provide technical oversight to manage personnel and work assignments in a manner that assures completion of the laboratory workload.
4. Ability to plan staff training to address needs.

References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP): This occupational series is eligible for the SLRP. Funding is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. SLRP is an incentive, not a benefit. It is dispersed as a one-time lump sum payment or bi-weekly payments. The total lifetime gross amount for student loan repayments that may by authorized on behalf of an employee is $100,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program. Contact VHAV23SLRP@va.gov for more information.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.