Job Summary

The Supervisor serves as a Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist for the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center and/or Satellite Testing Sites (i.e. Health Care Center) as assigned. The supervisory CLS serves as the Clinical Laboratory Manager and shares full responsibility with the chief of P&LMS (Medical Laboratory Director) for managing and supervising all phases of clinical laboratory service operations.

Job Description

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407 b. Education. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. NOTE: The Supervisory CLS (Laboratory Director), GS-15, requires unique education requirements. c. Certification. (1) Candidates must meet one of the certification options below. (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT. (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT. (c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT. NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. (2) Exception for Non-Certified. (a) Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency. (b) Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2). (c) Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL. (d) Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. (e) Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. (3) Loss of Credential. If an employee fails to maintain the required certification, management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately remove the employee from duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation. This may also result in separation from employment. (4) If a CLS currently has, or ever had, their CLS certification revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status, HR Office staff must appoint them according to the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions. e. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following: (1) Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination. NOTE: Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f). GRADE DETERMINATION Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-14 Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-14 assignments. (a) Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Laboratory Manager), GS-14. i. The supervisory CLS serves as the Laboratory Manager (Lab Manager) and shares with the chief of laboratory service/medical director full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of laboratory service operations. Assignment. The supervisory CLS serves as the Laboratory Manager (Lab Manager). The CLS must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-13 grade level. The CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The CLS provides guidance and serves as an authority and subject matter expert on laboratory medicine including research, agency policies, new techniques, and procedures. This individual develops guidelines, assesses laboratory effectiveness, and establishes and maintains quality assurance and quality management programs. The CLS consults with or serves as a consultant for local, network, and national programs and/or officials. The CLS manages regulatory affairs and compliance and develops and manages program budget and resource usage, inventory, acquisition, and contracting processes. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (A) Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodologies of a major clinical laboratory program and operations to assess program effectiveness and provide authoritative guidance for operations, personnel, and management. (B) Skill in administrative management such as budgeting, contracting, procurement, and property management in accordance with organizational (for example, VHA) regulations. (C) Ability to collaborate with other departments and upper management in a medical center or health care setting or higher-level managers in regional or national offices such as VISN-level staff and VHA Central Office staff. (D) Ability to plan and execute short- and long-range programs and/or goals through project management and tactical/ strategic planning. (E) Ability to provide advisory, planning, and surveillance services to clinicians, laboratory directors, and supervisors on specific functions, programs, or problems that are particularly difficult, widespread, or persistent. (F) Ability to solve complex problems involving unique or controversial aspects of medical technology or laboratory management, new or unconventional methods, program changes or conflicts between scientific/technological requirements and regulatory or program requirements. (G) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-14. Physical Requirements: Light Lifting (under 15 pounds); Light Carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; Both hands required for fine-manipulation and simple grasping; walking (up to 8 hours); standing (up to8 hours); sitting (up to 8 hours); near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish shades of color.