Duties

Summary

The NIH Clinical Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement as they have openings in the Center for Cellular Engineering.

In addition, positions are available in the Clinical Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, in which candidates may be considered.
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Responsibilities

Performs laboratory testing (pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical phases) in accordance with regulatory and accrediting agency requirements.
Receives and evaluates adequacy of clinical specimens for testing, including specimen identification and integrity. Processes specimens for testing.

Receives and processes test requests.

Performs specialized and technically demanding analytical procedures for diagnostic and research purposes. Identifies and addresses issues in testing that may affect results, such as interfering substances, disease conditions, limitations of the test procedure, or other problems in the test system.

Reviews and analyzes daily quality control data and takes the appropriate steps to insure quality results.

Reviews, interprets and correlates laboratory results upon completion of tests. Retrieves information as needed to aid in the evaluation of tests results when inconsistencies arise.

Reports laboratory results using the laboratory and/or hospital information system. Communicates STAT and urgent results directly to the patient care team.

Interacts directly with patient care physicians in discussing the interpretation of test results and suggests follow up procedures which may help answer clinical questions.

Uses problem solving skills to handle unusual situations in any phase of the laboratory testing system. Identifies issues and find an appropriate resolution.
Perform and interpret a variety of complex immunoassays and molecular assays such as EIA, Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing , genotype and RNA/DNA extractions on diagnostic specimens in support of Clinical Center patients. Infectious agents studied include hepatitis viruses, HIV and HLTV. Evaluate test validity.
Perform testing, maintenance and Quality control processes in accordance to local SOP's, FDA regulations and other accreditation agencies such as CLIA, AABB, and TJC.
Report test results for the donor center and the clinical center patients.
Maintain good working knowledge of theories and techniques of molecular biology, Immunology, statistics and basic medical technology concepts.
Troubleshoot equipment malfunctions. Assist with the evaluation, development, validation and implementation of new equipment, tests or processes.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
11

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Position is subject to a background investigation.
• This position is emergency essential.
• Position requires Education.
• Physical Requirements-may need to lift and move items weighing 70 lbs.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• A preemployment physical is required.
• Work schedules may include regular or rotational shifts.

Qualifications

You qualify at the GS-09 level, if you meet one of the following qualification requirements:

Minimum Education Requirements: A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. OR A full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post- bachelor's certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology. OR A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids. This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable. AND

To qualify for the GS-09 position:

You must have completed two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree that is directly related to the duties of this position.

OR

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal Government performing the following types of tasks: performing specialized and technically demanding analytical procedures such as immunoassays, nucleic Acid Amplification Testing, PCR and genotype testing for diagnostic and research purposes; identifying and addressing issues in testing that may affect test results such as interfering substances, disease condition, limitations of the test procedure, or other problems in the test system; and reviewing, interpreting and correlating laboratory results upon completion .

OR

You must have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

To qualify for the GS-11 position:

You must have completed three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctorate degree that is directly related to the duties of this position.

OR

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Government performing the following types of tasks: Performing specialized and complex analytical procedures, such as immunoassays, nucleic Acid Amplification Testing/PCR and genotype testing for diagnostic and research purposes; Uses problem solving skills in identifying and addressing issues in testing that may affect results, such as interfering substances, disease condition, limitations of the test procedure, or other problems in the test system; Reviews, interprets and correlates laboratory results upon completion and performs evaluation of test results when inconsistencies arise; and creating and updating written standard operating procedures and training laboratory personnel in laboratory procedures

OR

You must have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10504915

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education .

Additional information

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 .
This position is designated as an " emergency essential " position and the selected candidate will be considered an " emergency essential " employee and will be required to be available, ready, willing, and able to report for duty under all circumstances (e.g., inclement weather, government closings and holidays, lapses in appropriations, non-emergency and emergency situations) for operation 24 hours a day and 365 days per year coverage.
A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
This position requires regular or rotational shifts.
You must be able to lift and move heavy items weighing up to 70 lbs.
If selected, you must pass a pre-employment medical exam.
PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.

• We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s).
• The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program ( E-Verify ). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, your application and responses to the online questionnaire will be evaluated under Category Rating and selection procedures for placement in one of the following categories:

• Best Qualified - for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria
• Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria
• Qualified - for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points, but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Applicants determined to be Best Qualified will be referred for further consideration. Preference eligibles in the Best Qualified category are referred before all other applicants.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, a review of your resume and supporting documentation may be made and compared against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Because your rating is based on both your responses to the questionnaire and documentation you submit, please make sure that your self-ratings are supported by the information you provide in your application. Your qualifications and self-ratings may be verified at any time during the application and selection process through quality review, interview questions, work samples, demonstrations, reference checks, and any other means. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts on the assessment questionnaire or in any other materials you submit in support of your candidacy (including but not limited to the application), or in any oral statements you may make during the selection process shall be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 85 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS

RESUME:

Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.

To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
1. Job title
2. Name of employer
3. Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
4. Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
5. Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
6. Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Jobs website , USAJOBS Resource Cente r, and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:

You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.

All of the above information is necessary to determine your qualifications for the position. Please help us make an informed decision regarding your eligibility by providing complete and thorough information on your experience and qualifications. Not providing all of required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS

To claim veterans' preference, career transition selection priority, or Schedule A eligibility, you must provide the documentation listed below AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire.

• - Veterans' preference (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation for 10 point claims. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you are claiming derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point claims, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
• - Visit our sites on Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency / Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) for more information and required documentation.

Required Documentation for Schedule A Eligibility (Applicants with Disabilities)

Applicants who are eligible to be considered under Schedule A must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility. Such documentation can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead and signed. Please note the Schedule A hiring authority neither guarantees employment, nor gives an individual preference in the hiring process.

If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.

Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.