Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Veterans Health Administration • Johnson City, TN

17d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Laboratory Scientist independently carries out day-to-day laboratory operations, including evaluating specimen suitability, preparing specimens while preserving their properties, prioritizing test requests, and performing tests promptly for critical-care situations. The scientist develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates laboratory procedures and results in accordance with current regulatory requirements. The role also includes routine testing, quality control, instrument maintenance, troubleshooting, and determining the validity of results and whether additional tests are needed based on abnormal data and associated pathological states.

Depending on assignment, responsibilities or projects may include serving as laboratory safety officer, analyzer specialist, primary operator for new test systems, quality control specialist, supply-control coordinator, or coordinator of laboratory competency assessment or proficiency/survey programs. The position may include limited duties related to laboratory information management and ancillary testing. Work requires independent judgment and responsibility, organizing and prioritizing work with minimal technical supervision, monitoring quality systems, and collaborating in patient diagnosis and treatment. The scientist provides education to laboratory health care professionals and the public, and provides direction, work review, and training to students and less experienced scientists. The role involves collaboration with laboratory and non-laboratory staff and service representatives to address instrument malfunctions and repairs.

Work schedule is 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Weekend, holiday, irregular-shift, or cross-section work may be required to provide routine or emergency laboratory coverage. Telework is unavailable, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to its eligibility requirements, application deadline, and program approval. Potential awards are up to $200,000 for an eligibility period of one to five years; former EDRP participants are ineligible.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university, unless qualifying under the applicable grandfathering provision.
• Maintain a valid generalist Medical Laboratory Scientist certification from ASCP BOC or AMT, or Medical Technologist certification from ASCP BOR or AMT, unless qualifying under the stated recent-graduate or grandfathering provisions.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For GS-09: one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-07, or a master’s degree or two academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or a directly related science; also demonstrate knowledge of clinical laboratory testing policies and procedures, quality control and assurance, laboratory equipment and maintenance, teamwork, written-instruction interpretation, and accurate performance of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical testing.
• For GS-11: one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-09, 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; also demonstrate professional clinical laboratory science knowledge, quality control and assurance and performance-improvement knowledge, informatics and laboratory-process skills, instrumentation maintenance/troubleshooting/repair ability, independent technical judgment in interpreting results, ability to apply complex written instructions, and communication and collaboration skills.
• Meet applicable foreign-education equivalency requirements when relying on education completed outside the United States.
• Meet applicable federal employment conditions, including background/security investigation, required onboarding and identification documentation, seasonal influenza vaccination, and any required pre-employment drug screening.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Meet the physical requirements, including recurring standing and walking, manual dexterity and visual acuity, sustained concentration, intermittent moderate lifting and light carrying, possible stooping and kneeling, hearing and working amid constant noise, and maintaining accuracy in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Independently carry out day-to-day laboratory operations.
• Evaluate specimen suitability and prepare specimens while maintaining their physiologic properties.
• Prioritize test requests and perform tests expeditiously for critical-care situations.
• Develop, perform, evaluate, interpret, correlate, and validate laboratory procedures and results in accordance with current regulatory requirements.
• Conduct routine testing, quality control, routine instrument maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Correlate abnormal laboratory data with pathological states, determine result validity, and determine whether additional tests are needed.
• Undertake assigned laboratory functions or projects, potentially including laboratory safety, analyzer specialization, operation of new test systems, quality control, supply control, competency assessment, or proficiency/survey programs.
• Monitor quality control systems and measures and collaborate in patient diagnosis and treatment.
• Provide education to laboratory health care professionals and the public.
• Provide direction, review work, and train students and less experienced Clinical Laboratory Scientists.
• Communicate instrument malfunctions to service representatives and follow instructions for instrument repair.
• Provide laboratory coverage for routine or emergency procedures, including weekend, holiday, irregular-shift, or other-section coverage as needed or directed.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program student-loan reimbursement, subject to eligibility and program approval; award up to $200,000 for one to five years.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• Potential annual-leave accrual credit for prior federal work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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