Apply on Employer Site

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs · 5 hours ago

Clinical Lab Scientist (Quality Manager)

Fresno, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$133K/yr - $173K/yr

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Clinical Lab Scientist (Quality Manager) to serve as a consultant and technical advisor in ensuring compliance with clinical laboratory accreditation and regulatory standards. The role involves developing and maintaining quality management programs, educating staff, and overseeing laboratory testing-related proficiency testing programs.

GovernmentMedicalNational SecurityPublic Safety

Comp. & Benefits

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Acts as technical consultant for quality management, quality control, records control, proficiency testing, inspection, and accreditation of P&LMS, and renders recommendations based on findings

Develops and maintains P&LMS Performance Improvement/Quality Assurance plan based on regulatory agency requirements and identified needs for approval by the P&LMS Chief and Laboratory Manager and makes recommendations for correction of identified concerns

Develops an implementation and documentation plan for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service as part of VA CCHCS Total Quality Assessment and improvement (TQI) effort

Works with pathologists to develop and implement a QA program that will meet the needs of the Service and the requirements of relevant regulatory agencies

Educates supervisors and other employees about the QA program and about quality control and quality assurance principles and methods

Ensures that all employees understand and comply with all safety regulations in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service Safety Manual and with other safety regulations as defined by VA CCHCS

Develops and monitors a system for documenting safety-related problems and concerns

Oversees all laboratory testing-related external proficiency testing programs

Works with pathologists and supervisors to ensure proper and timely proficiency testing and reporting

Ensures that the Service has comprehensive and up-to-date information on accreditation requirements

Works with pathologists and supervisors to prepare for inspections and site visits

Develops a system for tracking and documenting continuing education activities of Service employees

Ensures that all Service employees complete required continuing education

Coordinates formal in-service and continuing education programs for the laboratory staff, students and residents as needed

Orientates all new employees and students to Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services

Qualification

Clinical Laboratory ScienceQuality ManagementAccreditation StandardsGeneralist CertificationProficiency TestingTraining SkillsCommunication SkillsTeam Collaboration

Required

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy

A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university

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

Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency

Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)

Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL

Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained

Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment

In all cases, CLSs must actively work to meet requirements for certification starting from the date of their placement into the occupation

At the time of appointment, the Human Resources (HR) Office staff, in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide the employee with the written requirements for certification, including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline

Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in separation from employment

If an employee fails to maintain the required certification, management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately remove the employee from duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation

If a CLS currently has, or ever had, their CLS certification revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status, HR Office staff must appoint them according to the provisions in VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section B - paragraph 16d

Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable

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: (1) 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 (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination

Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed

Employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions

Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard

Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation

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

Benefits

Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

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)