Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
• Certification: 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
• *This GS-14 Supervisory CLS is a generalist
• (a) and (b) are qualifying certifications, (c) is NOT a qualifying certification
• NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held
• Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer)
• 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
• Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: For all GS-14 assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the CLS at least 25% of the time
• Candidates at this grade level are in one of the following assignments
• Experience
• 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-14 assignments
• The Laboratory Manager and shares with the chief of laboratory service/medical director full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of laboratory service operations where at least three of the five following criteria are met outlined below in (A) - (E): (A) The Laboratory is a complexity level index group 1 or group 2 based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History
• (B) The Laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program)
• (C) The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel including at least one GS-13 subordinate
• (D) Lack of on-site pathologist/Chief with oversight of a large staff (typically >20 employees)
• (E) The CLS oversees additional services (for example, Radiology, Sterile Processing, other)
• Preferred experience: Prior Supervisory Experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14
• Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurrent standing to perform procedures and tests, walking between different areas within the laboratory and throughout the medical center
• The work involves sitting at a microscope or computer, manual dexterity, visual acuity, color vision and the ability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time
• Requires intermittent moderate lifting (15-44 pounds)
• light carrying (under 15 pounds)
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• intermittent but possibly prolonged stooping and kneeling
• ability to read and comprehend ordinary type and computer screens
• ability to hear (aid permitted) and work in an environment with constant noise
• working closely with others
• high cognitive function required to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities without loss of accuracy
• emotional stability required to maintain self-control in difficult and stressful situations.