Veterans Health Administration
Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist
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Summary
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. 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 foreigneducational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programsmeet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following: (1)Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, andthe degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinicallaboratory science degree program.OR (2)The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating theindividual is eligible to take the certification examination. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken andwritten English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f). 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: Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-12 Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (A)Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice. (B)Skill to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair laboratoryinstrumentation. (C)Ability to develop procedures for new tests, and modifyexisting procedures and methods to resolve problems relativeto complex and difficult situations. (D)Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities andassignments in a section. (E)Ability to provide or coordinate staff development andtraining. (F)Ability to provide guidance and technical direction to a widevariety of individuals including physicians, nurses, and otherclinical staff regarding technical aspects of testing, specimenrequirements and results. Preferred Experience: Experience in Laboratory analyzer operations/maintenance/quality control/troubleshooting. Hematology and Blood Bank 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 GS12. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
Major Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties Include but are not limited to: Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals, and achievements are coordinated with management. Assists with preparation of section schedules. Responsible for all aspects of operation in their area of specialty including preparation and maintenance of records and reports, analysis of testing methodologies, training, instrumentation, and compliance. Acts as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty. Serves as an expert providing authoritative advice and consultation for more markedly difficult, complex, unique, and/or emerging tests requiring special knowledge. Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of the specialized testing, including the appropriateness of specific tests and takes into consideration the clinical context and usefulness of the test information. Advises on alternate testing to overcome ambiguities in the clinical diagnoses. Identifies, defines, and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of data or unique or controversial aspects of the testing where no direct precedent exists. Maintains process control through a multifaceted quality assurance program. Prepares reports, maintains records, and provides administrative information. Prepares and presents work-related information to supervisor. Researches qualitative and quantitative methods in the appropriate laboratory specialty area. Performs statistical analysis on quality control, quality assurance monitors, research data. Identifies training needs appropriate for the type and complexity of the laboratory services performed. Provides appropriate training and competency as required. Responsible as a primary source of information for maintaining current instrumentation. Responsible for evaluation of new and evolving developments in laboratory instrumentation and automation. Ensures compliance with rules and regulations of assorted regulatory agencies such as CAP, JCAHO, AABB, and OSHA. Coordinates Quality Control activities with the Supervisor. Coordinates proficiency program for the appropriate laboratory department. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00800F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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. 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 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. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Professional Certification SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Resume Requirement: Your resume must include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, and average hours worked per week. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action: Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee In addition to your most recent SF-50, other examples of SF-50's to include in your application packet include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. Selections from this announcement will be made without regard to Veterans' preference in accordance with OCHCO Bulletin dated 9/25/2025. The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/23/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13088287. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.