Supervisory Medical Technologist (Blood Bank)

The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Medical Technologist in the Blood Bank section at the Temple Campus. Provides authoritative consultative services to management at all levels of the organization as it applies to all Blood Banking procedures in a clinical laboratory setting. Advises all organizational levels on various aspects of the use of blood, therapeutic phlebotomy and Blood Banking procedures including appropriateness that takes into consideration clinical context.
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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education and/or Experience Combination: To be qualified for a GS-0644 Medical Technologist you must possess
  • (1) A bachelor's 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 bachelor's 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 bachelor's 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. OR,
  • 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. This finding may be based on either of the following:
    • (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree.
    • (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination.
  • 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.
  • English Language Proficiency. MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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: GS-12:
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.
Assignment. The incumbent has full supervisory responsibility in a complexity index group 1 laboratory or in a complexity index group 2 laboratory that performs at least 1 million Standard Billable Tests annually (reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program). The incumbent supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel including at least one GS-11 subordinate. Recommends appointment, plans and assigns work, provides advice and counsel and evaluates work of subordinates. The supervisor is responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance and initiate corrective action. Verifies orientation, training and competency assessment of assigned staff. Develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals. Ensures all staff and affiliate staff are in compliance with accrediting and regulating bodies. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level. This individual manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements, and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution. The supervisor will maintain effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting and regulatory requirements in order to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans and the ability to judge effectiveness of the operation.
b. Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or education and training of laboratory staff.
c. Knowledge of, and ability to, provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of staff; recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
d. Ability to analyze organizational, technical and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient overall laboratory operation.
e. Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders and managers.
f. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs and administer the allocated budget.
g. 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, new technology, etc.
Preferred Experience:

1. >5-year experience as technical supervisor for Blood Bank and special procedures to include transfusion services and therapeutic phlebotomy.
2. >5-year experience in quality management and writing procedure manuals.
3. Experience in inventory management and workload projections.
4. Experience in training and competency assessing Blood Bank staff.

References: A Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G24, dated 5/12/2014.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: "The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds."Education: IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Accreditation Information:

• 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,
• 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. This finding may be based on either of the following:
  • (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree.
  • (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
NOTE: If your school was accredited by NAACLS at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the NAACLS website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
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/.Employment Type: FULL_TIME