Medical Technologist- Team Leader

Summary The incumbent serves as a Team Lead Medical Technologist under the direction of the Supervisory Medical Technologist in a specific area of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. The incumbent also works off-hour shifts, weekends, and holidays as priorities demonstrate a need. The incumbent is responsible for assisting the Supervisors and team members in coordinating work assignments; completing competency evaluations and other duties. Responsibilities The individual will assure compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements; establishes and monitors the quality of the pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program, and assures corrective action is initiated as needed. Works weekends, holidays, and all shifts in the department. Performs bench testing on a consistent basis to maintain competency and assisting the Supervisor in staffing ratio to complete workload. Some duties include, but are not limited to: Perform full range of GS-9 level Medical Technologist. In addition: Assist the Supervisor in working with other services such as OR and PACU on monitoring scheduled patients to resolve bottle neck and create better flow. Assist the Supervisor in CAP process and assign PT surveys, CAP results entry, and checks in a timely manner Develops operating procedures for all methods that are included in the department procedure manual yearly using the CLSI format. Updates the section procedure manuals. Provides and applies management, administrative, and professional knowledge to successfully oversee and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in the section areas. Monitors production requirements, turn-around times for laboratory results and other continuous performance improvement initiatives. Assures that all proficiency testing meets certification criteria set by CAP. Also, assures compliance with other accrediting agencies such as The Joint Commission (JC) and CLIA. Examines and investigates complaints from the hospital staff concerning questionable results and works closely with the quality assurance technologist. Assist the Supervisor in preparing work assignment schedules and assigns duties to the GS-9 Medical Technologists to assure efficient and timely performance of tests. Provides technical oversight and assigns personnel and special projects to be accomplished in a manner that assures completion of workload. Demonstrates the ability to plan, organize, set priorities, works as a Team Lead Medical Technologists, and effectively completes management assignments within assigned timelines. Facilitates team processes to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals, needs, and achievements are coordinated with management. Demonstrates knowledge of specimen requirements for tests performed in-house and those tests referred to reference laboratories. Assist the Supervisor with inventory control program to ensure minimal outdating of reagents and ensures adequate supplies are maintained for daily operation. Coordinates with the General Inventory Package (GIP) Inventory Specialists to establish standardized stock levels and re-order levels. Assists the Supervisor in competencies evaluation, maintaining training checklists, creating, and completing training checklists for new employees and students, reevaluation or remedial training, and any other projects as assigned by the Laboratory Manager of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PALMS). Attends vendor key operator training for new equipment as assigned by the Laboratory Manager. Serves as a primary trainer for all new equipment and writes policies/procedures for new equipment prior to equipment implementation. Reads VISTA and Outlook mail daily and provides timely replies to management by the deadlines provided. Understands and utilizes the laboratory document control system. Ensures all laboratory related procedures/policies are uploaded to the electronic document control system. Generates and updates the CAP checklists with checklist items electronically linked to the data, policies and procedures to allow for immediate access to supporting documentation. Ensures that proper maintenance, quality control, department temperature monitoring and linearity studies are completed within CAP guidelines. Ensures that all required preventive maintenance (PM) documents and maintains records of (PM) visits for the CAP inspection team review. Assist supervisors with weekly and monthly tasks including and not limited to logs review, lot-to-lot evaluation, calibration, inventories, data collection for team. Attends monthly supervisory staff meetings, attends BURC meeting if applicable, workload and schedules permitting, and presents updates on issues as related to section operations in the absence of the Supervisor. Investigates Patient Incident Reports (ePIR) related to the departmental operations and takes remedial action as required. Takes responsibility for the quality control program for the section, assures that appropriate records are maintained, and investigates complaints from the hospital staff concerning questionable results. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, may also works off-hour shifts, rotating weekends, and holidays as priorities demonstrate a need. Functional Statement #: #92293-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) – See “Additional Information” below for details. 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: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Education and/or Experience Combination. (1) A bachelors degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.). AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post- baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four- year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree. OR, (2) A bachelors degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP- BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. OR, (3) A bachelors degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) above. (See in education section) Certification. Candidates must have either (1) or (2) below:(1)Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT.(2)For positions up to the full performance level, candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB) and blood bank (BB/SBB). Technologists with categorical or specialist certifications may only perform duties within the area of the laboratory specific to their categorical certification (e. g., an individual with a chemistry (C) certification can only perform duties in chemistry). English Language Proficiency. MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Grade Determinations: GS-10: Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1.Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques. 2.Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems. 3.Knowledge of the application of laboratory regulatory requirements. 4.Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training. Assignments. MTs at this level generally have a higher level of professional oversight responsibilities and may have responsibility for a specific large-scale automated analytical instrument system; a specific area of laboratory functions, such as employee competency records, supply functions, laboratory safety, quality control review, new method development or employee or student training; or provide professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists on alternate tours of duty. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Team Leader. MTs at this level have professional oversight responsibilities of a laboratory team. The team leader facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities and goals are coordinated with laboratory management. The incumbent also provides technical advice to staff and other health care members and oversees work assignments and work flow. The team leader is responsible for ensuring that staff follow all policies and procedures and is a subject matter authority when there are questions of a technical or professional nature. The incumbent may be responsible for reporting personnel absences and may be responsible for staff schedules and other assignments delegated by the departmental supervisors. 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-9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-10. Physical Requirements: While work is partially sedentary, there are demands for standing, walking, bending at times. May also require travel by auto or plane. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.