Lead Medical Technologist - Full-time

Summary

This Blood Bank Lead Medical Technologist position is in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System located at the Togus, ME campus location. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.

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: 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.)
• (Transcripts Required) 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 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
• (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)
• Exception
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may be given a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed one year as a graduate medical technologist under the authority of 38 U.S.C
• § 7405(c)(2)(B)
• This appointment may not be extended
• For grade levels above the full performance level, the candidate must be certified
• Failure to Obtain Certification
• In all cases, MTs must actively pursue meeting prerequisites for certification from the date of their appointment
• Failure to become certified within one year from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0644 MT series
• Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment
• Loss of Credential
• Once certified, MTs must maintain their certification
• Loss of certification will result in removal from the occupation and may result in termination of employment
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates: GS-11 Experience (above the full-performance level) or Education Experience: Experience
• Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the full performance level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled
• Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals and achievements are coordinated with management
• Responsible for all aspects of operation in their area of specialty including preparation and maintenance of records and reports, analysis of testing methodologies, training, instrumentation and compliance
• Acts as a liaison to other departments of the medical center for the appropriate laboratory specialty
• OR, Education: Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D
• or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related field
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: a
• Knowledge of medical technology applicable to a wide range of duties to solve complex problems involving diverse aspects of clinical laboratory practice
• b
• Knowledge of regulatory, licensing and accrediting agency requirements and statutes governing clinical laboratory operations in order to plan, implement or monitor laboratory programs and services
• c
• Ability to manage and coordinate daily work activities and assignments in a section
• d
• Skill to maintain, troubleshoot and repair laboratory instrumentation
• e
• Ability to provide technical oversight in order to manage personnel and work assignments in a manner that assures completion of the laboratory workload
• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24 Physical Requirements: Depending on what section of the laboratory the employee is assigned, this individual must do mix of sitting, standing and/or walking
• Depending on the workload and patient mix, it could be a lot of any of these three elements
• The employee must have a high degree of dexterity in use and maintenance of many complicated instruments
• They are subject to color-blindness testing and must be recorded as passing for employment.

Duties

"An MT/CLS at this level develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results.
Duties include, but are not limited to: The Lead Medical Technologist is the technical supervisor of all personnel working in the Blood Bank and is responsible for the technical, quality assurance, and administrative aspects of the department.
The lead BB technologist will coordinate and maintain all activities associated with the Blood Transfusion Committee Members and the mandatory meetings and agenda.
Responsible for coordination of training and competency in the methods and techniques of the appropriate laboratory specialty area.
Ensures compliance with rules and regulations of assorted regulatory agencies such as CAP, Joint Commission, AABB, and FDA.
Coordinates Quality Control activities with the Supervisor.
Serves as a Medical Technologist in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service, assigned to the Blood Bank, Hematology, Coagulation, Microbiology and assists in Phlebotomy.
All new versions and patches of Blood Bank Computer Software must be validated and evaluated by the Lead Technologist, and on some occasions, the Lead Technologist may be asked by the VA Blood Bank Software Developer to perform validation processes as a test site prior to the release of new software.
Maintains and documents the optimal functioning of laboratory equipment, and monitors all quality indicators.
Uses, calibrates, identifies malfunctions, repairs, and performs preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment.
Diagnoses deviations in test performance due to instrument malfunction.
Is responsible for evaluation of new and evolving developments in laboratory instrumentation and automation.
Adheres to practices and regulations governing biosafety and biosecurity in the workplace.
Answers inquiries regarding test results, methodology, test specificity, test sensitivity, and specific factors, which influence test results.
Interprets results and suggests follow-up test selection or procedures.
Communicates effectively and maintains professional behavior.
Provides excellent service as defined by the customer (healthcare providers, patients, and others).
Schedules Therapeutic Phlebotomy clinic appointments using Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (Vista) scheduling options.
The Clinic Set-up Coordinator will set up, update, and inactivate the Therapeutic Phlebotomy clinic in accordance with the facility policy.
Work Schedule: TOD varies Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Hannah Neilson hannah.neilson@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Learn more EDRP - Assignment code - 00 Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F02870 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service.
This position is in an AFGE Bargaining Unit.
This position is on a special salary rate.
Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action).
The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment."