Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist
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Job Location:
Columbia, IN - USA
Yearly Salary:
$ 106895 - 138967
Posted on:
11 hours ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Summary
The incumbent facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks priorities goals and achievements are coordinated with management is responsible for all aspects of operation in the Chemistry/Urinalysis Sections and acts as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for Chemistry/Urinalysis.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
The Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) carries out all of the testing responsibilities of the full performance level but has higher levels of professional responsibilities expertise and authority for a specific department (i.e. Core Lab Microbiology or Blood Bank) and will rotate with other CLSs within the department. Has professional oversight responsibilities and responsibility for specific large scale automated analytical instrument systems; a specific area of laboratory functions supply functions quality control review new method development and employee or student training; and provide professional and technical advice to other technicians and CLSs on all shifts.
The duties and responsibilities of the Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist includes but are not limited to the following:
Performs other directly related duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM with rotating weekend and holiday shifts.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): None
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): None
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact for questions/assistance. Learn more
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 59038F
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
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 bachelors degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
- Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
- Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
- 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. 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).
- 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.
- If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted.
- Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
- Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
- Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
GS12 Grade Determinations:
GS11 Assignment: This is considered FPL for a CLS. A CLS at this level independently carries out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory. The CLS develops performs evaluates interprets correlates and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results in line with current laboratory regulatory requirements. The work performed may be in a variety of laboratory specialties such as chemistry microbiology immunology hematology and immunohematology. Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automated addition to routine testing the CLS conducts quality control and routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting. The CLS correlates abnormal lab data with pathological states determines the validity of test results and the need for additional tests. Specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects may include laboratory safety officer analyzer specialist primary operator on new test systems quality control specialist supply control and/or coordinator for the laboratory competency assessment or proficiency/survey program. This assignment may include limited duties in areas such as lab information management and ancillary testing. These tasks require a broad exercise of independent judgment and responsibility including organizing and setting priorities with minimal technical supervision. The CLS assesses a situation considers the options and formulates an appropriate course of action. This assignment includes monitoring quality control systems and measures collaborating in the diagnosis and treatment of patients and providing education for laboratory health care professionals and the public in a professional courteous and effective manner.
GS12 Assignments: For all GS-12 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 (GS-11) is required for all GS-12 assignments.
Knowledge Skill and Ability (KSA) Statements - In addition to the experience or education above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice.
- Skill to maintain troubleshoot and repair laboratory instrumentation.
- Ability to develop procedures for new tests and modify existing procedures and methods to resolve problems relative to complex and difficult situations.
- Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section.
- Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.
- Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a wide variety of individuals including physicians nurses and other clinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing specimen requirements and results.
Preferred Experience: At least 3 years of current or recent creditable experience working in Clinical Chemistry at a moderate to large size healthcare facility is preferred.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: The work requires regular and recurrent sitting standing walking reaching and bending. Occasionally lifts heavy containers of supplies or equipment.
Education
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges universities schools or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
For further information visit:
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Experience:
IC
Key Skills
- Laboratory Experience
- Immunoassays
- Machine Learning
- Biochemistry
- Assays
- Research Experience
- Spectroscopy
- Research & Development
- cGMP
- Cell Culture
- Molecular Biology
- Data Analysis Skills
