Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

The Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-12 Grade level. The CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning directing and assessing work of subordinate staff. The CLS recommends appointments awards advancement and disciplinary actions. The CLS plans and assigns work based on priorities requirements of assignments and abilities of employees; provides advice and counsel; and evaluates the work of subordinates. The CLS ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical analytical and post-analytical processes initiating corrective actions as needed as part of the overall laboratory quality management projects. The CLS verifies orientation training and competency assessment of assigned staff and ensures all staff and affiliate staff comply with accrediting and regulating bodies. The supervisory CLS manages document control develops performance standards position descriptions and functional statements and is responsible for technical and administrative management of an assigned area including budget execution. The supervisory CLS interacts with administrative and clinical onsite personnel and exercises significant independent decision-making authority. The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdisciplinary and interprofessional relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.

Major Duties:

• Plans and schedules on-going work. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures.
• Chooses methods for achieving work goals objectives and management strategies.
• Day-to-day supervision of highly complex test performance.
• Responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance.
• Assures corrective action is initiated when test performance deviates from established performance specifications.
• Assures orientation training and competency assessment of staff.
• Implements and monitors quality management activities.
• Performs the full range of supervisory duties: Recommends appointments plans and assigns work recommends awards advancements and disciplinary actions. Gives advice and counsel and evaluates work of subordinates.
• Maintains knowledge of and complies with the federal regulations associated with the Clinical Lab Improvement Act of 1988.
• Assumes responsibility for the instruction and coordination of teaching activities for CLS students in order to fulfill the requirements of a NAACLS- accredited CLS program.

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

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403 (f).
• Education (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED):
  • A bachelors 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.

• Experience:
  • In addition to meeting the basic requirements you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) which is directly related to the position to be filled.
  • The CLS has full supervisory responsibility in a laboratory where at least three of the five following conditions are met outlined below in (A) - (E).
    • (A) Lab is a complexity level index group 1 or 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-12 subordinate.
    • (D) Lack of on-site pathologist.
    • (E) Oversight of more than one laboratory specialty.

• Your experience must demonstrate the following Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulation laboratory accrediting and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines formulate plans and judge effectiveness of the operation.
  • Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.
  • Skill to interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
  • Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be preformed performance evaluations selection of staff recommendation of awards advancements and disciplinary actions.
  • Ability to analyze organizational technical and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient laboratory operation.
  • Ability to manage fiscal matters forecast resource and equipment needs and administer the allocated budget.
  • Ability to set short and/or long-term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages organizational structure and new technology.