Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Properly collect, handle, accession, and label specimens according to but not limited to safety, patient identification and infection control policies. Instruct Medical Center or CBOC personnel on preliminary procedures in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Users guide. Evaluate the suitability of the specimen for analysis, requesting new specimen if determined to be unusable. Prepare specimens for analysis, ensuring that the physiological state of the specimen properties is maintained. Inspect all blood products received in blood bank upon arrival. Monitor expiration dates, and storage temperatures daily. Inspect blood products for contamination, breakage and return products prior to the expiration date. Release routine and emergency use blood and plasma according to standard operating procedures. Monitor and replace temperature charts according to policy. Evaluate and monitor the performance of test procedures using manual and/or automated techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognize and react to indicators of malfunction; troubleshoot and implement corrections. Maintain records for instrument failures and corrections. Select, perform, evaluate and monitor the performance of test procedures using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognize and react to indicators of malfunction; locate and implement corrections. Conduct quality control procedures on equipment, reagents, and products and maintain proper records for quality control reports. Participate in the quality control program for the Section, assures that appropriate records are maintained by understanding quality assurance principles. Operate a variety of instruments such as electronic cell counter, discrete chemistry analyzer, discrete urinalysis analyzer, centrifuge, microscope and others. Calibrate and perform maintenance on equipment. Verify correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks and monitoring. Identify the cause of common problems and makes simple repairs. Difficult repairs or malfunctions are resolved with assistance from the manufacturer of the technical service center. Document calibrations and maintenance performed as required for accreditation. Evaluate the validity of data in relation to the test system and accepted assay procedures. Correlate quantitative data with patient data (i.e., history, and medications) to verify results. Perform additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal patient results. Recognize abnormal results that require immediate attention by the physician and reports them directly. Responsible for the generation of laboratory results from the work area into the laboratory computer system and for the editing and verification of the results recorded into the computer system. Assist in development and maintenance and modification of various computer applications liaison are maintained with technical representatives to correct computer programming and to resolve common problems. Maintain appropriate levels of supplies and reagents for the efficient operation of the assigned section. Work Schedule: Noon to 10PM, Tuesday - Friday Compressed: Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Available EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Education. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Certification. 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). Exception for Non-Certified. Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of the routes identified below that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science, or in a related science (for example, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.) AND Completion of a medical technology clinical practice program within the last 5 years. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must be accredited by the NAACLS, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a 4-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics AND 1 year of post-MLT certification clinical laboratory experience within the last 3 years. This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing (as categorized by the FDA) in a clinical laboratory. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics AND 4 years of clinical laboratory experience within the last nine years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood bank, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university with 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in biology including one semester in microbiology and 16 semester hours (24 quarter h