Summary

This Histopathology Technician will work 80% of the time in the Dermatology Mohs Micrographic Surgery clinic and 20% of the time in Pathology. The histopathology technician is responsible for setting up and maintaining the Mohs laboratory and performing all essential tasks per accrediting agency guidelines.

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
• Experience: One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician
• OR, Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry
• or Successful completion of two academic years of study above high school that included at least 24 semester hours in Chemistry and/or in appropriate fields of biological science and successful completion of a 12-month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology
• OR, Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• Examples are listed below: Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as biological science, surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position
• or an associate's degree in a health care related field
• Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or 3 histopathology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces
• 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)
• All Histopathology Technicians employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation
• 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
• If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• Grade Determinations: Histopathology Technician, GS-7 (Advanced) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs
• Skill in applying professional, complex anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts, and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques
• Ability to provide technical oversight of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement exhibiting competence in managing reagent and supply inventories and document control systems
• Ability to validate methodologies, operate anatomic pathology laboratory equipment and perform complex instrument troubleshooting
• Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and evaluate laboratory results and resolve problems
• Preferred Experience: Experience required as a Mohs histotechnologist
• Experience preferred with managing CLIA and CAP certification Assignment
• Histopathology technicians at this level generally have a higher level of responsibility for technical oversight, and are expected to carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty independently
• The incumbent will have the responsibility of performing difficult specialized histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical procedures, as well as developing, modifying, or adapting new staining methods or techniques, improving existing methods as necessary for routine histotechnology procedures
• The technician will be responsible for troubleshooting issues with instruments and resolving problems
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• 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-07
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07 Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to travel to treatment areas with ease while pushing an machine
• The incumbent must be able to stand for up to 8-10 hours while providing patient care
• The incumbent must be able to lift up to 20 pounds of equipment, supplies and records
• The incumbent must be able to manipulate the probes during the procedure, pushing against the patient's chest to obtain the appropriate images
• Additionally, the incumbent will be required to transport patients on stretchers, beds and wheelchairs
• There is the potential for extended periods of sitting at computer terminals
• The incumbent is expected to use proper preventive ergonomic techniques to perform duties.

Duties

• The histopathology technician is responsible for setting up and maintaining the Mohs laboratory and performing all essential tasks per accrediting agency guidelines
• The technician is responsible for advanced Anatomic Pathology laboratory testing to include, but not limited to, gross dissection and interoperative frozen section preparation as dictated by Pathology laboratory needs
• The histopathology technician is responsible for Mohs laboratory maintenance and quality assurance documentation and will assist the Pathology Quality Manager with quality monitors related to the Mohs and/or Anatomic Pathology laboratory
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday from 8:00am until 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 70934-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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.