Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

The position is located in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System. The incumbent serves as Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist. He or she facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that task, priorities, goals, and achievements are coordinated with management.

Major Duties:

• Responsible for all aspects of operation in their assigned specialty area(s) including (but not limited to) preparation and maintenance of records and reports, analysis of testing methodologies, training, instrumentation, and compliance.
• Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members or employees to ensure that tasks are completed and assigned specialty areas(s) priorities goals, needs and achievements are coordinated with management.
• Acts as a liaison between the specialty area(s) and the supervisor.
• Serves as an expert in assigned area(s) providing authoritative advice and consultation for more markedly difficult, complex, unique, and/or emerging test requiring special knowledge.
• Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of the specialized testing, including the appropriateness of specific test and takes into consideration the clinical context and usefulness of test information. Advises on alternate testing to overcome ambiguities in the clinical diagnoses.
• Identifies, defines, and resolves issues associates with complex aspects of data or unique or controversial aspects of the testing where no direct precedent exists.
• Maintains process control in assigned specialty area(s) through a multifaceted quality assurance program.
• Monitors and review quality control data to ensure the highest possible product quality, service quality, and patient safety.
• Assists and oversees calibration and preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Prepares reports, writes operating procedures, maintains records, and administrative information. Prepares and presents work-related information to supervisor.
• Identifies training needs appropriated for the type and complexity of the laboratory service performed.
• Accepts assigned specialty area(s) to best meet clinical laboratory requirements at the discretion of Laboratory manager and/or medical Director. Specialty areas may include (but are not limited to) urinalysis, chemistry, special chemistry, hematology, coagulation, Immunohematology, and microbiology.

Work Schedule: 7:00am-3:30pm; (Work Schedule may be discussed with hiring manager.)
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PD12471F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-12:

1. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments.
2. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
   • Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.
   • Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory instrumentation.
   • Ability to develop procedures for new tests, and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations.
   • Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section.
   • Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.
   • Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimen requirements and results.

Preferred Experience: Two years of experience as Lead Tech.

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

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

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination (if applicable).
• 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.