Job Summary

This position is within the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PLMS) of the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System. The Supervisory Histopathology Technician processes specimens from Veterans. This work is crucial for diagnoses and treatment planning. Duties include immunohistochemistry, histochemical stains, and frozen sections. The supervisor manages operations, ensures protocol adherence, maintains workflow quality, and oversees standards.

Job Description

BASIC REQUIREMENTS Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.) Experience and Education Experience. One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician. OR, Education. (a) Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry; or (b) Successful completion of two academic years of study above high school that included at least 24 semester hours in Chemistry and/or in appropriate fields of biological science and successful completion of a 12-month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology. OR, Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Examples are listed below: Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as biological science, surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or an associate's degree in a health care related field. Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or 3 histopathology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces. English Language Proficiency. Histopathology Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English. GRADE REQUIREMENTS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Supervisory Histopathology Technician, GS-9 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. Expert knowledge of Federal and state laws, regulations, and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order to develop policies and procedures for the laboratory. Expert knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or education and training of laboratory staff. Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees, team leaders and managers. Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements and disciplinary actions. Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long term goals and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, new technology. Expert knowledge of concepts, principles and methods of laboratory technology and operations. Preferred Experience. Skilled in applying professional, complex anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts, and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques. Reference. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This vacancy is above the full performance level. Physical Requirements. The work requires manual dexterity, visual acuity, color vision; regular and recurring physical exertion such as use of microtome or cryostat and standing for long periods of time; lifting of five-gallon reagent containers and other moderately heavy supplies and equipment; a high degree of tolerance and ability to work under stress which at times can be irregular and sometime constant. Additionally, the demand for accuracy and timeliness in reporting results to pathologists responsible for patient care is an ever-present responsibility and a constant concern of a responsible histopathology technician. The incumbent occasionally may be required to work longer than eight hours per day, an off shift, a weekend and/or holidays.