Clinical Laboratory Scientist - Laboratory Information Manager

The VA is searching for a Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Lab Information Manager) to work for the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. The Clinical Laboratory Scientist - Laboratory Information Manager (LIM) develops and recommends new policies and procedures regarding installation and use of the laboratory information system (LIS) in conjunction with the overall hospital information system (HIS).

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This position is located in the Path and Lab Service at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (VAMC). The incumbent develops and recommends new policies and procedures regarding the installation and use of the laboratory information system (LIS) in conjunction with the overall hospital information system (HIS).

Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Installs, configures, and implements data management solutions and interface connections between the HIS and laboratory instruments, analyzers, and medical devices, including point-of-care instruments, referral laboratory equipment and barcode label printers in the main facility and CBOCs.
• Primary LIM Support focus includes all areas of the laboratory including Central Lab, Reference Lab, Data Innovations, Ancillary Testing, Anatomic Pathology, Blood Bank, Phlebotomy and Microbiology.
• Responsible for the development, deployment, and maintenance of Instrument Manager based decision support algorithms (Rules).
• Implements and maintains coding and mapping for laboratory test ordering, reporting, billing, and workload recording systems.
• Analyzes emerging trends, software, and technology and adopts appropriate methods for local programs to meet agency goals.
• Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of the functions and capabilities of the information system.
• Establish baseline measures (data collection, analysis, reporting) through standardized methodologies pre- and post-implementation.
• Prepares and submits reports as requested.
• Provides monthly quality assurance data as delegated including monitoring and follow-up.
• Serves as a recognized expert to provide authoritative advice, training, and consultation on the information system.
• Participates/Supports VISN wide software implementation advisory group. Ensures testing and deadline compliance for software upgrades, information security upgrades and software patches inclusive of audit trail documentation.
• Serves as the liaison between administration, clinical staff, and technical staff regarding the clinical, business, technical operations management processes associated with each specific laboratory application and CPRS.
• Serves as the Privacy Liaison for P&LMS.
• Ensures local compliance with information and cyber security requirements, including design and maintenance of the computer downtime contingency plan, inventory and critical device lists, quarterly computer access reviews, and annual testing and reporting of contingency testing.
• Assist with ADPAC related duties serving as a back up to the primary ADPAC.
• Tests and verifies released patches for functionality before moving into the production account.
• Serves as the local expert for national software developers for alpha or beta testing of software packages.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
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)
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: May be Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): May be Approved Learn more.

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.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification: Must have one of the following certifications:
  • 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• 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.

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: To qualify for GS-12: You must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level of a Clinical Laboratory Scientist. Creditable experience is experience that has required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current Clinical Laboratory Scientist practices. Examples of experience include, but is not limited to the following: independently carries out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory; conduct quality control and routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting; determine the validity of test results, and the need for additional tests; develop, perform, evaluate, interpret, correlate, and validate the accuracy of laboratory procedures; assess a situation, consider the options, and formulate an appropriate course of action.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodology of clinical laboratory technology in relation to laboratory information systems.
• Knowledge of laboratory operations and their relationship to the organization.
• Knowledge of laboratory computer systems sufficient to implement various laboratory associated packages and sustain operation of the laboratory system
• Knowledge of compliance and regulatory requirements for laboratory functions.
• Ability to adapt, implement and integrate the use of software to specific laboratory applications and processes, including the use of office automation software.
• Ability to independently plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member, and effectively complete assignments.

Preferred Experience: 1-3 Years of Clinical Laboratory Scientist Experience preferred.

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

Physical Requirements: The incumbent's work is primarily sedentary. Occasionally, a moderate amount of walking or standing and/or the carrying items up to 25 lbs.

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/.

• 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.