Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) is responsible for ensuring proper laboratory coverage filling in as priorities demonstrate a need. The Supervisor demonstrates professional knowledge of a wide range of Clinical Chemistry Immunochemistry Hematology Coagulation Urinalysis and Transfusion Medicine principles theories and practices and methodologies sufficient to perform the range of analysis and testing required of a full-service laboratory. Requires advanced knowledge or skill in the laboratory department(s) directly supervising.

Duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• The incumbent performs the full range of supervisory duties and is responsible for the overall supervision of the section(s) specified. This includes: conducting interviews recommending appointment development of performance standards writing functional statements or position descriptions as required evaluating work performance counseling of employees whose performance is marginal or unsatisfactory and initiating disciplinary actions when necessary; hearing and resolving complaints from employees.
• Takes responsibility for the day-to-day supervision of the section sets short and long-term goals prepares work schedules and assigns duties and provides instruction to subordinates to assure efficient and timely performance of all tests and procedures. Is responsible for the granting of leave to subordinates in the assigned T&L group and communicates with other section supervisors and management as necessary to assure adequate lab coverage. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures. Collaborates with other supervisors in completing the laboratory scheduling process.
• Works as a technologist as needed and accomplishes duties specifically assigned to technologists in the section(s) supervised. Works off-hour shifts weekends holidays and in other sections of the laboratory as priorities shows a need or as directed by management
• Assures that all employees under his/her supervision are aware of and abide by the appropriate hospital and laboratory safety regulations. Responsible for maintaining the work area in a clean environment appropriate for the Section.
• Assures that all specimens are processed and tested in a timely and efficient manner with a minimum amount of errors. Reviews test results determines if additional information is needed for clarification of test results and/or to establish a definitive diagnosis and consults with physicians on additional tests as necessary. Ensures that significantly abnormal results are brought to a physicians attention through other than normal channels (i.e. critical values).
• Implements and monitors quality management activities and establishes quality assurance programs designed to measure the care calibration standardization and use of equipment in the section. Controls the collection of data and prepares final reports for the section administrative reports. Knowledgeably exercises judgment in selecting the most reliable procedures to be followed when presented with specimens submitted under varying conditions.

• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/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.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403 (f).
• Education: A bachelors degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • NOTE: The Supervisory CLS (Laboratory Director) GS-15 requires unique education requirements. Please reference the education requirements located in that assignment below.
• 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).
• 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:
  • 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
  • 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 above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

• Creditable Experience. To be creditable the experience must have required the use of knowledge skills and abilities associated with current CLS practices. The experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment as a CLS in the health care field. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement.
• Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek. For example an individual employed 20 hours per week or on a half-time basis would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to CLS experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level (FPL) the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope administrative independence complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

• General: For all GS-13 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-13 assignments.
  • 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 personnel including at least one GS-12 subordinate.
    • (D) Lack of on-site pathologist.
    • (E) Oversight of more than one laboratory specialty.
• Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations 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 in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
  • Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed 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.