Career Center

Summary

This position is in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16) - Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston - Texas - under Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PLMS).

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
• Individuals must meet one of the requirements below: (1)Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university - leading to a bachelor's or higher degree - that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist - such as - but not limited to clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• OR - (2)Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both);OR - (3)Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education - leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree - with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist - such as clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre- medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials - and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Certification
• Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam: (a)Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS);OR - (b)One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation - embedding - microtomy - processing - and staining in a histopathology (clinical - veterinary - industry - or research) laboratory
• English Language Proficiency
• Histopathology Technologists must be proficient inspoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Supervisory Histopathology Technologist - GS-12: Experience
• Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be filled
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a)Knowledge of Federal and state laws - regulations - and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory
• (b)Skill in communicating with individuals - in order to obtain the desired effect - ensuring compliance with established policies - regulations - and procedures
• (c)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
• (d)Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program - and/or education and training of the laboratory staff
• (e)Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees - team leaders - and managers
• (f)Ability to plan - organize - set short and/or long-term goals - and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems - including fiscal matters - budget execution - 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 GS12
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
• Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
• the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
• However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Duties

• Duties include but not limited to: Adjusts staffing levels and/or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation to meet workload requirements
• Plans - directs - and assesses work of subordinate staff
• Recommends appointments - awards - advancement - and disciplinary actions as required
• Plans and assigns work based on laboratory and/or test priorities - requirements of assignments - and abilities of employees
• provides advice and counsel
• and evaluates work of subordinates
• Plans and executes orientation - training - and competency assessment of assigned staff and develops and updates technical policies and procedure manuals for section
• Responsible for day-to-day supervision of the histology lab and its daily functions including - but not limited to - specimen accessioning - processing - sectioning - routine histochemical - immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical procedures - Moh's procedure - autopsy service and the cytopathology laboratory to ensure acceptable levels of performance
• Establishes and monitors the quality improvement and quality assurance protocols of Histology and its personnel - initiates corrective actions as required when test performance deviates from established performance specifications in all the areas of the histology/autopsy/cytology labs
• Implements and monitors quality management activities to ensure compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements
• Performs the full range of supervisory duties to include the establishing and executing of performance and quality improvement projects in the section
• Responsible for staying abreast of current histopathology policies - procedures - testing methodologies and there subsequent implementation
• Maintains and monitors Histology supplies and stock levels
• Requests replacement supplies as needed to ensure Histology operations
• Responsible for maintaining Histology's compliance with Federal and State laws and regulations - as well as accreditation and regulatory requirements of the College of American Pathologists - Food and Drug Administration and the Joint Commission
• Responsible for monitoring and ensuring staff compliance with accrediting and regulating bodies
• Assigns some of these duties/tasks to the Lead Histopathology Technologist(s) within the laboratory section
• Work Schedule: 7:00am - 3:30pm Monday - Friday - subject to change based on the needs of the facility
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 02093F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized