Clinical Laboratory Scientist-Chemistry

Veterans Health Administration • Phoenix, AZ

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Laboratory Scientist works within the Pathology and Laboratory service line at the Phoenix VA and independently carries out day-to-day laboratory operations. The CLS develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates laboratory procedures and results in accordance with current regulatory requirements.

The position performs standard, advanced, and complex laboratory procedures; investigates unexpected results and specimen-processing issues; maintains, calibrates, troubleshoots, and repairs laboratory instruments; and performs quality-control and quality-assurance work. The CLS follows biosafety and biosecurity practices and applicable regulatory requirements, communicates results and testing information to healthcare team members, and helps organize laboratory work to meet deadlines.

The position is permanent and scheduled Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with rotating weekends and holidays. Telework is not available; the position is not virtual. Recruitment and relocation incentives and permanent change-of-station assistance are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Meet an accepted certification option: generalist MLS certification from ASCP BOC or AMT; generalist MT certification from ASCP BOR or AMT; or categorical or specialist certification from ASCP or AMT, subject to the stated restrictions on categorical and specialist certifications.
• For GS-11, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science.
• Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories to support independent work.
• Knowledge of laboratory quality-control and quality-assurance procedures and performance-improvement principles.
• Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
• Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
• Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
• Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with healthcare team members and others in areas including customer service and patient education.
• Meet applicable pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation, medical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination; selected applicants must also complete onboarding and serve a two-year trial period.
• Comply with applicable identification and application-document requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Current working knowledge of clinical laboratory concepts.
• Hospital laboratory experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform standard, advanced, and complex laboratory procedures; recognize deviations from expected results; analyze and correct problems using scientific principles; and communicate predefined critical results to appropriate staff.
• Evaluate and resolve issues related to collection and processing of biological specimens, including specimen requirements and physiologic factors that may affect analysis.
• Maintain laboratory equipment and document maintenance according to laboratory policies and procedures.
• Perform instrument calibrations and repairs and preventive maintenance; identify malfunctions; and document and resolve deviations in instrument performance.
• Perform and document quality-control and quality-assurance activities and corrective actions related to test performance using statistical principles and performance-improvement theories.
• Follow biosafety and biosecurity practices and comply with applicable requirements of regulatory agencies, including CAP, FDA, NEO, JC, MBB, and OSHA.
• Identify discrepancies, solve problems, and suggest solutions.
• Respond to inquiries about test results, methodology, specificity, sensitivity, and factors affecting results; interpret results and suggest follow-up test selections or procedures.
• Communicate effectively and courteously as a healthcare team member and provide service to healthcare providers, patients, and others.
• Give direction and guidance based on laboratory testing principles.
• Organize work and set priorities to meet deadlines.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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