Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Technical)

Veterans Health Administration • Lexington, KY

10d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. The selected applicant will be placed no earlier than 1/24/2027, though a sooner date may become available. The incumbent is a qualified, experienced Clinical Laboratory Scientist who serves as the Blood Bank Technical Specialist and the Tissue Bank Coordinator for the Lexington, KY VAMC Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. This is a large, diversified clinical and anatomical laboratory within the VA Health Care System. The VA Medical Center Lexington, KY is a member of VA Complexity Index Group 1 and performs over 1 million Standard Billable Tests (SBT's) annually. Duties include consulting on incompatible crossmatches, antibody problems, single & multiple unit transfusions, transfusion reactions, WARM Auto Absorptions, and patient phenotyping in the blood bank. The role is responsible for the coordination and quality of all work and duties in the tissue bank and performs complex testing in the Transfusion Service. Responsibilities include control, procurement, processing, and storage of patient and donor blood and blood/tissue products, as well as transactions with the local blood supply agency and tissue procurement companies. The incumbent performs additional, often more difficult, less frequent tests with meticulous accuracy to clarify or confirm patient testing, helps evaluate data validity, and takes corrective action for erroneous results. They determine if additional information is needed for clarification or diagnosis and confer with physicians regarding blood and tissue implants. Strict adherence to exact techniques and stringent quality control are required due to the direct impact on patient well-being. The role involves discussing problems with physicians and other personnel, and providing advice in tissue implant cases. Staff physicians will discuss problems regarding blood and blood/tissue product availability and preparation, and the presence, identification, and significance of atypical antibodies. Additional responsibilities include developing and implementing new tissue procedures, modifying current ones for efficiency and better patient care, monitoring protocol conformity, and developing/implementing Quality Control in the Tissue Bank. A current procedural manual is maintained and revised as necessary. The incumbent instructs cross-trained technologists, house staff, medical students, and Laboratory Science students assigned to the blood bank/tissue bank. They review all QC and paperwork performed in the Tissue Bank during all shifts as required by FDA and tissue vendors. The role serves as a member on the Transfusion & Tissue Review Committee (T&TRC) and assists with tissue data and vendor information for approval.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selected applicants for testing designated positions 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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: CLS's must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options: 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.
• 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).
• 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required for GS-12 assignment.
• Knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles, methodology of medical laboratory technology, regulatory and accrediting agency requirements, medico-legal requirements, and pertinent statistics sufficient to perform complex diagnostic tests.
• Knowledge of instructional techniques to instruct newly hired clinical laboratory scientists and clinical pathology residents in proper performance of tests and applications of laboratory procedures.
• Knowledge of one or more advanced clinical laboratory functions.
• Skill to apply new scientific/technical developments to develop procedures for new tests and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations.
• Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work of a clinical laboratory.
• Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to accomplish the work of the specific laboratory section.
• The CLS serves as a Technical Specialist CLS, providing expert authoritative advice and consultation for more markedly difficult, complex, unique and/or emerging tests that require special knowledge.
• The CLS advises all organizational levels on various aspects of specialized testing, including appropriateness that takes into consideration clinical context.
• The CLS advises on alternate testing to overcome ambiguities in the clinical diagnoses and analyzes emerging trends and technology to adopt appropriate methods and testing.
• The CLS develops policies, precedents, regulatory, licensing, and accrediting requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain the specialized testing.
• The CLS assumes responsibility for training and competency assessment of staff and students within the area assigned.
• The technical specialist often works independently and is given freedom of action under the general guidance of a pathologist or other laboratory practitioner.

Nice To Haves

• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Responsibilities

• Consulted on incompatible crossmatches, antibody problems, single & multiple unit transfusions, transfusion reactions, WARM Auto Absorptions, and patient phenotyping in the blood bank.
• Coordination and quality of all the work and duties in the tissue bank.
• Performs complex testing in the Transfusion Service.
• Responsible for control, procurement, processing and storage of patient and donor blood and blood/tissue products, and transactions with the local blood supply agency, and all companies procuring the tissues.
• Performs additional, often more difficult, less frequent tests with meticulous accuracy to clarify or confirm patient testing as deemed necessary.
• Helps the supervisor evaluate the validity of data in relation to methodologies used.
• Takes corrective action when erroneous or discrepant results occur.
• Determines if additional information is needed for clarification of patient results and/or to establish a definitive diagnosis and confers with physicians as necessary regarding blood and tissue implants.
• Discusses problems encountered with physicians and other laboratory personnel and may be asked specific advice in tissue implant cases.
• Staff physicians will discuss problems regarding the availability and preparing of blood and blood/tissue products and the presence, identification, and significance of atypical antibodies.
• Development and implementation of new tissue procedures, modification of current tissue procedures, which will aid the Tissue Bank section to provide more efficient and better patient care.
• Monitors conformity to protocols and is responsible for developing and implementing Quality Control in the Tissue Bank.
• Maintains a current procedural manual.
• Reviews and revises procedure manuals as necessary.
• Instructs cross trained and off tour Technologists, house staff, medical students, and Laboratory Science students assigned to the blood bank /tissue bank.
• Reviews all QC and paperwork performed in the Tissue Bank during all shifts as required by FDA and the tissue vendors.
• Serves as a member on the Transfusion & Tissue Review Committee (T&TRC) and assists the T&TRC with tissue data and vendor information for approval.

Benefits

• 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 that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level