Clinical Laboratory Scientist

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):
Individual Occupational Requirements
Note:
Employees currently assigned to positions in this occupational series as of September 2017 will be considered to have met the basic requirements for the position occupied.

Education

1. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

   OR

2. A full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post- bachelor's certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology.

   OR

3. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids. This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable.

For positions GS-7 through GS-15 (or equivalent), experience or graduate education must have been in (1) the general field of medical technology; (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology; or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled.

Clinical laboratory intern (student medical technologist) experience in an education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) education program may be credited on a month-for-month basis toward meeting the GS-7 specialized experience requirement.

Note:
A typical program comprises 12 consecutive months of professional study, including didactic and practical instruction. Approximately 6 to 7 months are devoted to lectures, laboratory study, demonstrations, and seminars covering theory and technique in clinical laboratory science. The other 5 to 6 months are devoted to clinical laboratory rotations. It is the latter, i.e., the period(s) of supervised work experience in a service laboratory that may be credited as work study experience.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below-

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications for GS-07: 1 Year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 Grade Level. Specialized Experience is defined as experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples include: Assisting senior technologist in preparing reagents; assisting with performance of routine laboratory tests; following procedures to ensure quality control; and using basic laboratory equipment and instruments OR 1 Year of Graduate-Level Education or superior academic achievement.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-09: 1 Year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 Grade Level. Examples include: Performing procedures of a routine and complex nature in all clinical laboratory sections; standardizing and/or calibrating section instruments; preparing and maintaining quality controls and reagents; performing analysis which is reviewed by senior staff; performing electronic standardization procedures for laboratory instrumentation function OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-11: 1 Year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 Grade Level. Examples include: Monitoring routine tests, performing specialized tests and/or non-routine procedures; identifying and resolving inconsistent test results; performing complex and unusual tests in areas of microbiology, AST, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and whole blood cellular component; reporting test results and consulting with physician; developing backup analysis procedures during instrument malfunction with input from medical staff OR 3 Years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.