Clinical Laboratory Scientist

This position is located at the Shiprock Service Unit, Division of Clinical Services, Laboratory Department, Shiprock, NM. The incumbent serves as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) and reports to the Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

• Serves as a Medical Technologist Department Head in the Clinical Chemistry, Urinalysis and Send-Out sections of a regional referral laboratory.
• Responsible for performing routine and specialized studies in enzyme analysis, therapeutic drug analysis, solving highly complex diagnostic problems, and modifying or adapting new methods or techniques to improve or expand clinical chemistry and urinalysis.
• Determines procedures for general chemistry, enzymes, therapeutic drugs and urinalysis to be performed in each section.
• Develops and implements the use of protocols for performance of tests and evaluations of results.
• Defines reference values/ranges using statistical methods, sets up and monitors record keeping systems and effective quality control procedures.
• Identifies needs for change in the quality assurance program.
• Prepares reagents and maintains stores of general and special products.
• Performs routine, complex and unusual tests and studies requiring specialized knowledge and skill.
• Evaluates, modifies, or adapts new methods or revises standard techniques to improve or expand quantity, accuracy, precision, specificity, or proficiency of analysis.

• Selectee may be subject to a probationary/trial period.
• ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• This is a designated position covered by Public Law, requiring contact or control over Indian children.
• Measles and Rubella immunization required for selectees born after 1957 and seasonal influenza immunization is required for all staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities.
• COVID-19 vaccination is required for all selectees prior to entrance on duty.

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):

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet one of the Basic Requirements for a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-0644 position listed below.

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.

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.

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.

Evaluation of Education and Experience:

The major areas of clinical laboratory science are microbiology, clinical chemistry, hematology, and immunohematology (blood banking).

Qualifying course work in these areas includes bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, tissue culture, virology, parasitology, endocrinology, enzymology, toxicology, urinalysis, coagulation, hemostasis, cell morphology, immunology, serology, immunoserology, immuno-deficiency, hemolysis, histocompatibility, cytotechnology, and similar disciplines or areas of laboratory practice.

Related fields include physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, cell biology, embryology, pathology, genetics, pharmacology, histology, cytology, nuclear medicine, epidemiology, biostatistics, infection control, physics, statistics, and similar areas of science where the work is directly related to the position to be filled.

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.

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.

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:

GS-11:

Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks:

Plans and leads a diagnostic testing program providing Bacteriology, Molecular, and Urinalysis services in a clinical laboratory setting.

Examples include:

Perform a wide range clinical laboratory tests/exams, i.e., difficult and infrequent tests requiring special knowledge, for use in clinical diagnosis, patient screening and other authorized purposes.

Communicate information to subordinates, such as troubleshooting, and governs quality services.

Assure optimal performance of all instrument.

Determine procedures for chemistry tests to be performed.

Write and implement corrective actions plans for any deficiencies and monitor these fallouts.

Monitor Quality Assurance/Quality Control indicators and Performance Improvement protocols.

Ensure testing processes adhere to acceptable levels of performance based on quality management procedures and principles.

Review section work performed on a daily basis, correct errors, and notify attending physicians as appropriate.

Ensure staff are trained in the blood gas, chemistry, and reference laboratory sections and maintains regulatory compliance.

Define reference values/ranges using statistical methods, set up and monitor record keeping systems and effective quality control procedures.

OR Completed at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or Equivalent doctoral degree.

(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.

OR Possess a combination of graduate education and specialized experience that when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position.

The total percentage equals at least 100 percent to qualify for this GS-11 grade level.

(Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience).

Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level.

Time-In Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

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

Position is open until filled, the vacancy will close when a selection is made.

Education This position has an education requirement.

You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades.

Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package.

Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For further information, visit Additional Information POSITION IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED - the vacancy will close when a selection is made.

Your resume and any documents submitted will be retained for three months and may be used at any time during this period.

After 8 months, you must reapply to this announcement in order to be considered.

Per IHS policy (SGM IHS selectees to positions located in Federally operated hospitals, health centers, and clinics must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before entry on duty or have IHS approve a medical or religious exemption.

If an exemption is approved then wearing a face mask and regular testing for COVID-19 will be required.

Your Human Resources Specialist will provide a list of documents acceptable as vaccination proof and instructions on how to submit your vaccination documentation or how to request a medical or religious exemption, if needed.

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 90 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement.

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee.

IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.

This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

This position has no promotion potential.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized.

At least a 1-year service agreement will be required.

This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps.

PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration.

For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps, visit the website at:

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines.

This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process.

Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds.

For additional information please visit:

For IHS - For NHSC - For HRSA Nurse Corps -