Career Center

This position is located at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System Medical Center (CAVHS), Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS), Little Rock, Arkansas. The work involves performing tests and examinations in one or more sections of the clinical laboratory. Then reports findings of tests and examinations to be used by providers in diagnosis, care, and treatment of patients and performing a wide range of emergency, routine, complex, and specialized test procedures.. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/31/2022. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirements: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is (a) technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the Medical Technician position. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume. OR Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirements, You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations in specialized departments (Chemistry, Microbiology, Hematology, Urinalysis, and Blood Banking) and (b) preparing reports of findings or (c) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled and (d) you must also have experience performing chemistry and hematology testing in a clinical setting. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed One full year of graduate education. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Only education/internship directly related to the position is creditable, such as instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology. (Transcripts Required). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree.. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer SkillsInfection ControlQuality AssuranceSpecimen Collection Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work requires extended regular physical exertion, such as standing for long periods of time, bending, lifting of some heavy containers, trips to specimen processing areas, and handling of uncooperative patients. While working in processing area Technicians at this level would need to meet special requirements for agility or dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination. Also, regular recurring procedural tasks requiring finite motor skills, such as pipetting, measuring chemicals, and reagents. Lifting of moderately heavy items, usually less than 40 pounds, to countertop level may also occasionally be required of the incumbent. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. ["Performs as specialists in the clinical laboratory working in all areas to include Clinical Chemistry, Coagulation, Hematology, Immunochemistry, Serology, Urinalysis, Immunohematology, Microbiology, and Specimen Procurement and Processing. Specimen processing, pre-analytic assessment, and test performance: Evaluates requested procedures to determine the suitability of specimens for analysis, requesting additional specimens if required. Prepares the specimens for analysis and/or dispatch to reference laboratories ensuring the physiologic state of the specimen is maintained. Follows the guidelines outlined in the various Clinical Laboratory General Procedure Manuals and appropriate Specimen Collection. Specimen Processing procedure manuals for specimen handling. Screens test results to detect discrepancies, artifacts, and pathologic change that may warrant additional testing. Quality control, documentation, and instrument maintenance. Performs daily quality control to assure that reagents, equipment, and temperatures are within recommended guidelines. Documents all quality control activities and maintains accurate records in compliance with all appropriate accrediting and regulatory agencies. Verifies correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks (mechanical, optical, photometric, and electrometric). Procurement of specimens from patients. Follows established procedures and guidelines, required to perform phlebotomy for the procurement of blood specimens from outpatients demonstrating proper patient identification, procurement, and post-phlebotomy patient care. Must be certified or eligible for certification as a Federal Employee Urine Drug Collector utilizing Chain of Custody Protocols for the collection of EDTs in the Federal Workplace. Follows collection guidelines as described in the facility's Specimen Processing Chart for the collection of other body fluids, cultures, Anatomic Pathology specimens and other specimens for Pathology analysis. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 3:00pm to 11:30pm (subject to change based on the needs of the agency)\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Description/PD#: Medical Technician (Laboratory)/PD04526A\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]