Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Veterans Health Administration • Oklahoma City, OK

7h • Onsite

About The Position

The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System is hiring a Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Ancillary Testing Coordinator). The position exercises full supervisory responsibility for subordinate staff, including assigning and evaluating work, advising and counseling employees, and recommending appointments, awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting and regulatory requirements and monitors the quality of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes as part of the laboratory quality management program.

The role oversees laboratory operations, staffing, quality management, training, budgets, resource and equipment needs, and contracts. It develops or updates policies and guidelines, sets section goals, assesses technical and administrative issues, and applies scientific expertise to evaluate test results and introduce or modify procedures. The position also maintains knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations and required COR training and certification.

As the Ancillary Testing Coordinator, the role serves as a technical authority for point-of-care testing. It provides consultation on quality assurance, records, proficiency testing, inspections, and accreditation; travels to community-based outpatient clinics for training, installations, implementation, and quality oversight at least quarterly; oversees proficiency testing; validates new instrumentation; and evaluates compliance with procedures, policies, and accreditation requirements.

The schedule is 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The position is not available for telework and is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointments when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Generalist MLS certification from ASCP BOC or AMT; generalist MT certification from ASCP BOR or AMT; or eligible categorical or specialist certification from ASCP or AMT, subject to the stated limitations for categorical and specialist certifications.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level for GS-13 assignments.
• For GS-13 supervisory assignments, full supervisory responsibility in a laboratory meeting at least three of the five conditions described in the announcement: complexity level index group 1 or 2; at least one million standard billable tests annually; supervision of non-supervisory staff including at least one GS-12 subordinate; no on-site pathologist; or oversight of more than one laboratory specialty.
• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accreditation, and regulatory requirements sufficient to develop policies, formulate plans, and assess operations.
• Knowledge of laboratory quality management principles and procedures sufficient to establish and monitor a quality management program and/or staff education and training.
• Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
• Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, including work assignment, performance evaluations, staff selection, and recommendations for awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Ability to analyze organizational, technical, and administrative problems and develop and implement solutions for efficient laboratory operations.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer an allocated budget.
• Ability to set short- and/or long-term section goals and conduct studies of technical and administrative problems.
• Must meet the stated physical requirements, including moderate lifting up to 20 pounds and the listed pushing, pulling, reaching, hand use, walking, standing, kneeling, bending, sensory, cognitive, and emotional capabilities.
• Must complete applicable pre-employment screening, background/security investigation, onboarding, identification, and application-document requirements; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-appointment urinalysis.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program and serve the required one- or two-year trial period.

Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, and assess the work of subordinate staff; assign work, provide advice and counsel, evaluate performance, and recommend appointments, awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Ensure compliance with Federal and state laws, accrediting agencies, and regulatory requirements; develop policies and guidelines and assess the effectiveness of laboratory operations.
• Establish and monitor laboratory quality management activities across pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes, and initiate corrective actions as needed.
• Manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
• Set short- and long-term section goals and conduct studies of technical and administrative issues, including staffing, organizational structure, and new technology.
• Ensure orientation, training, and competency assessment for assigned laboratory and non-laboratory staff, including affiliate staff.
• Ensure appropriate correlation among instrumentation and methodologies, and implement and monitor quality management activities.
• Track contract funding and payments, resolve audit discrepancies, and notify the Laboratory Manager of unexpected contracting or funding changes.
• Apply scientific expertise to evaluate test results and assess, modify, and introduce advanced test procedures.
• Maintain knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations and COR training and certification; initiate required documents for COR nomination and laboratory contracts for supplies and services.
• Provide expert consultation on point-of-care testing quality control and assurance, records management, proficiency testing, inspection, and accreditation.
• Travel to community-based outpatient clinics for training, instrument installation, implementation, and quality oversight, with at least quarterly visits to each clinic.
• Oversee ancillary-testing proficiency testing, including staff training, CAP website data entry, monitoring practices, evaluating reports, and investigating and responding to unacceptable results.
• Validate new instrumentation in accordance with policy and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate ancillary-testing activities for ongoing compliance with established procedures, policies, and accreditation requirements.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 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 approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement.
• Potential childcare subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility requirements; up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, with a stated monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• 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