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

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: DRTs must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• Education:(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 - premedical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• Foreign Education
• Must 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
• Licensure/Certification: (1) Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by 3 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSA's
• Knowledge of Federal and state laws - regulations - and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order to develop plans and procedures for the laboratory
• Skill in communicating with individuals - in order to obtain the desired effect - ensuring compliance with established policies - regulations - and procedures
• 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
• 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
• Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees - team leaders - and managers
• 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
• 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: Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be filled
• Preferred Experience: At least 5 years experience in histotechnology including immunohistochemistry
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 12
• 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.

Duties

• The incumbent has full supervisory responsibility in a complexity index group 1 laboratory or in a complexity index group 2 laboratory that performs at least 4.5 million Standard Billable Tests annually (reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program)
• The incumbent supervises a large staff of nonsupervisory personnel - including at least one GS-11 subordinate in the performance of complex anatomic pathology testing in multiple specialties - such as Mohs testing - cytology testing - immunohistochemistry - and molecular testing
• The supervisor performs the full range of supervisory duties for one or more sections of the anatomic pathology laboratory - including responsibility for assignment of work performed
• performance evaluations
• recommendations for appointment - awards - advancement - and disciplinary actions
• identification of continuing education and training needs
• and resolving interpersonal issues
• The supervisor ensures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of the preanalytical processes - as part of the overall laboratory quality management program - and initiates corrective action
• This individual manages document control - develops performance standards - position descriptions and functional statements - and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution
• The supervisor will maintain effective interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals
• In addition to the experience or education above and the required core competencies - must demonstrate the following: Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities - include but are not limited to the following: Knowledge of Federal and state laws - regulations - and accrediting/regulatory requirements in order 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 education and training of the laboratory staff
• Knowledge of - and ability to - provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed
• performance evaluations
• selection of staff
• recommendation of awards - advancements - and disciplinary actions
• Knowledge of the various areas of the histology lab and how they function including - but not limited to - specimen accessioning - processing - sectioning - routine histochemical - immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical procedures - Moh's procedure - autopsy service and the cytopathology laboratory
• Skill in communicating with individuals - in order to obtain the desired effect - ensuring compliance with established policies - regulations - and procedures
• Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in order to deal with employees - team leaders - and managers
• DUTIES/TASKS - include but are not limited to the following: 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
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 580-02093-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Available Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Available