Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (PM SHIFT)

Summary

The Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist position is located in the VISN 12 Pathology & Laboratory Medical Service at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, 5000 S 5th Avenue, Hines, IL 60141.

Duties

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-12 Grade level. The CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing and assessing work of subordinate staff. The CLS recommends appointments, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions. The CLS plans and assigns work based on priorities, requirements of assignments, and abilities of employees; provides advice and counsel; and evaluates the work of subordinates. The CLS ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes, initiating corrective actions as needed as part of the overall laboratory quality management projects. The CLS verifies orientation, training, and competency assessment of assigned staff and ensures all staff and affiliate staff comply with accrediting and regulating bodies. The supervisory CLS manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements and is responsible for technical and administrative management of an assigned area including budget execution. The supervisory CLS interacts with administrative and clinical onsite personnel and exercises significant independent decision-making authority. The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdisciplinary and interprofessional relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.

Duties include, but not limited to:

• Plans and schedules on-going work. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures.
• Chooses methods for achieving work goals, objectives, and management strategies.
• Day-to-day supervision of highly complex test performance.
• Responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance.
• Assures corrective action is initiated when test performance deviates from established performance specifications.
• Assures orientation, training, and competency assessment of staff.
• Implements and monitors quality management activities.
• Performs the full range of supervisory duties: Recommends appointments, plans, and assigns work, recommends awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. Gives advice and counsel and evaluates work of subordinates.
• Maintains knowledge of and complies with the federal regulations associated with the Clinical Lab Improvement Act of 1988.
• Assumes responsibility for the instruction and coordination of teaching activities for CLS students in order to fulfill the requirements of a NAACLS- accredited CLS program.

Work Schedule : Full Time (PM Shift) Monday - Friday 3:00PM - 11:30PM.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of 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 Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 06385F.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements :

• Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• Education (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED):
  • A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification: Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
  • (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
  • (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
  • (c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.

Grade Determinations :

• Experience:
  • In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12), which is directly related to the position to be filled. The CLS has full supervisory responsibility in a laboratory where at least three of the five following conditions are met outlined below in (A) - (E).
  • (A) Lab is a complexity level index group 1 or 2 based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History.
  • (B) The laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).
  • (C) The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel including at least one GS-12 subordinate.
  • (D) Lack of on-site pathologist.
  • (E) Oversight of more than one laboratory specialty.
• Your experience must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulation, laboratory accrediting, and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans, and judge effectiveness of the operation.
  • Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.
  • Skill to interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
  • Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be preformed, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
  • Ability to analyze organizational, technical, and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient laboratory operation.
  • Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
  • 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, and new technology.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is 13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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: 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:

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.