Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Description:

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Requirements:

Applicants must meet the requirements within 30 days the closing date of this announcement. 11/28/2025

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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f)
• Education. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION.
    • Foreign Education . To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following:
      • Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR
      • The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.
      • TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION.

Certification: Candidates must meet ONE of the certification options below.

• Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT OR
• Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
• DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION.

NOTE : Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held.

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 : In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-13

• Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12
  • That previous creditable experience should include:
  • For all supervisory assignments, the CLS must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision and perform major duties above those at the FPL. The CLS must supervise at least one staff member at the GS-11 grade level. The supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The supervisory CLS ensures that orientation, training, competency assessment, and continuing education requirements are met. The individual ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements. The supervisory CLS establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical processes as part of the overall laboratory quality management program and initiates corrective actions. This individual develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements. The supervisory CLS is responsible for professional and administrative oversight of operations, including fiscal and resource management. The supervisory CLS maintains effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
  • AND
  • GS-12 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs on their resume and in their experience:
  • Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations and laboratory accrediting agency regulatory requirements sufficient to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory.
  • 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.
  • Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methods of clinical laboratory technology and operations.
  • Skill in applying leadership principles such as interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
  • Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
  • Ability to plan, organize, set short and/or long-term goals, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.
  • Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.

GS-13 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs on their resume and in their experience:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, 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 in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, 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 inefficient 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 https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work are moderate. The work includes the ability to maneuver in and behind instrumentation for troubleshooting and maintenance procedures. Some work is sedentary (4-7 hrs.) with periods of walking (2 hrs.), bending and or kneeling (3hr), lifting and carrying of reagents, equipment, and files (15-44 lbs.). There may be some extended periods of standing (6-8 hrs.); near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing aid (permitted); emotional stability; ability to hear whispered voice; the use of fingers is required including typing (4-6 Hrs.); reaching above shoulder; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination required.