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
English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403 (f)
Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
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 Submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination
Certification: Must possess one of the below certifications 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
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: Clinical Laboratory Scientist(Ancillary Testing Coordinator) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of medical technology concepts, principles, practices, and methodologies sufficient to perform full oversight and guidance for testing programs outside of the laboratory
Knowledge of mathematics and statistics as related to quality control, quality assurance, proficiency testing, inspection and accreditation, and continuous quality improvement
Knowledge of Federal, state, and VHA laws, regulations, reference standards, and certifying or accrediting agency requirements to carry out work in each ancillary testing site
Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and interconnectivity
Skill in applying new scientific/technological developments and theories to laboratory testing
Ability to evaluate, interpret, and teach others to use quality control procedures and implement corrective actions
Preferred Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience as a bench technologist, demonstrating strong technical proficiency in routine and complex laboratory testing
At least 2 years experience with advanced laboratory practices, including instrument validation, method comparison, and quality control oversight
Foundational knowledge of point-of-care testing principles and familiarity with laboratory information systems
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
