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Medical Technologist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
Closing date
Jul 7, 2022
Duties

The incumbent serves as a Medical Technologist (MT) with responsibility for performing routine, STAT and specialized work in the areas of Chemistry, Hematology/Coagulation, Urinalysis, lmmunohematology, Immunochemistry, Electrophoresis, Serology and/or Microbiology. He/she may also work off-hour irregular tours, weekends, holidays, and stand-by and/or on-call as priorities demonstrate a need. These employees are considered essential personnel.

The primary duties and responsibilities of the Medical Technologist (MT) include but are not limited to the following:
  • Evaluates the suitability of specimens for analysis, requesting a new specimen if determined to be unusable. The MT will also prepare specimens for analysis, ensuring that proper specimen properties are maintained.
  • Calibrates, standardizes, adjusts and maintains instruments. Evaluates and sets up new instrumentation and tests, including method correlations, linearity, precision and accuracy studies.
  • Verifies correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks and monitoring. Conducts quality control procedures on equipment, reagents, and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports.
  • Selects, performs, evaluates and monitors test performance using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction, locating and implementing corrections. Identifies the cause of common problems and makes simple repairs.
  • Evaluates the validity of data within the test system and accepted assay procedures. Correlates test data with patient clinical history prior to verifying results.
  • Performs additional testing to clarify or confirm abnormal test results. Recognizes abnormal results that require immediate attention by the physician and reports them directly.
  • Responsible for entering and verifying laboratory test results from the work area into the laboratory computer system.
  • Provides effective and professional training to newly hired medical technicians and technologists, medical technician/technology students, pathology residents, etc. on theoretical and practical aspects of the section and in unique handling of specimens and testing procedures. Provides on-the-job demonstration of laboratory practice and explains procedures to students and new laboratory personnel, as needed.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday (12 midnight - 8:00am)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN5EDRPBaltimore@va.gov
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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

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: Medical Technologist's must be proficient in spoken and written English. Education and/or Experience Combination
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
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
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.

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 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. OR (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.

(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).

Grade Determinations:

GS-9 (Full Performance Level)

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. OR,
Education. Must have master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or directly related field.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Comprehensive knowledge of professional MT principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work.
2. Comprehensive knowledge of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement in order to manage reagent and supply inventories and document control systems.
3. Knowledge of laboratory equipment and ability to maintain, troubleshoot and repair instrumentation.
4. Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member and effectively complete assignments.
5. Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
6. Ability to read, interpret and apply complex written instructions.
7. Skilled in informatics, laboratory data flow and the understanding of laboratory processes.
8. Ability to communicate, consult and interact with other members of the healthcare team, external relations, customer service and patient education.

References: VA Handbook 5005/72 Part II Appendix G24, Medical Technologist Qualification Standard

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, such as prolonged standing, bending - such as over microscopes, reaching for supplies or materials, and lifting moderately heavy items such as centrifuges and record boxes (or occasionally lifting heavier items such as reagent packs) and wrist strain due to prolonged use of PC keyboards. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities, such as dexterity (to perform intricate collection or analysis procedures) and color vision.

Education

Note: Graduate Education. Graduate education and graduate degrees may be substituted as specified at each grade level. Education must have been from an accredited college or university in a field related to MT (e.g., biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hematology, immunohematology, biological science, physiology, allied health education, health systems administration, infection control and preventive medicine), which was accredited at the time the candidate completed the program.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement. VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

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