Medical Technologist

Columbia, South Carolina, South Carolina, Summary: This Advanced Staff Medical Technologist position is located within Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service at WJB Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, SC. The Advanced Staff Technologist works as a generalist on 2nd or 3rd shift, rotating through all Sections (Chemistry, Urinalysis, Hematology, Blood Bank/Tissue Bank/Coagulation and basic Microbiology and Special Procedures). 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: Medical technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English. Education and/or Experience Combination: In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess: 1) A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e. g. laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc. ) AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree.

OR 2)A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e. g. blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc. ) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory OR 3) A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry), and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. Certification: All candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as an MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, and AMT Grade Determinations: GS-10 (a) Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques.

2. Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems. 3. Knowledge of the application of laboratory regulatory requirements. 4. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training. (c) Assignments. MTs at this level generally have a higher level of professional oversight responsibilities and may have responsibility for a specific large-scale automated analytical instrument system; a specific area of laboratory functions, such as employee competency records, supply functions, laboratory safety, quality control review, new method development or employee or student training; or provide professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists on alternate tours of duty. 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. 1.

Team Leader. MTs at this level have professional oversight responsibilities of a laboratory team. . The team leader facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities and goals are coordinated with laboratory management. The incumbent also provides technical advice to staff and other health care members and oversees work assignments and work flow. The team leader is responsible for ensuring that staff follow all policies and procedures and is a subject matter authority when there are questions of a technical or professional nature. The incumbent may be responsible for reporting personnel absences and may be responsible for staff schedules and other assignments delegated by the departmental supervisors. 2. Advanced Staff Technologist. MTs at this level perform more complex laboratory functions.

Duties may include specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects such as laboratory safety officer, analyzer specialist, or quality control file maintenance. Duties may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: serves as primary operator on new test systems, assumes responsibility to maintain operations including preventive maintenance and training of technicians and technologists on the operation of the new test systems; assists in writing procedures and other documents as directed; oversight of the clinical training experiences of technical and professional level technologist or technician training programs in order to fulfill educational and professional requirements (where training programs exist); provides technical training and guidance to students, residents, staff and other employees; recommends updated guidelines and policies in compliance with regulatory requirements for non-routine or complex assignments; coordinates the laboratory competency program; and coordinates the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) laboratory proficiency/survey program. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72, Part II Appendix G24; Medical Technologist Qualification Standard; GS-644 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring sitting, standing, walking, reaching and bending. Occasionally lifts heavy containers of supplies and equipment. [“Advanced Medical Technologist. Technologists at this level have professional oversight responsibilities working alone and unsupervised on the evening and/or the night shift, requiring independent judgment and decision-making. An MT at this level develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results. Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens using manual or automated techniques and require a broad exercise of independent judgment and responsibility with minimal technical supervision. The work performed is in a variety of laboratory disciplines, such as Chemistry, Coagulation, Hematology, Immunohematology (blood banking), Serology, Urinalysis and basic Microbiology.

The Medical Technologist will rotate on a regular basis through the above-mentioned laboratory disciplines. MTs at this level generally have a higher level of professional oversight responsibilities and duties that may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: 1. Serves as primary operator on new test systems 2. Maintains and documents the optimal functioning of laboratory equipment. Uses, calibrates, identifies malfunctions, repairs, and performs preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment. Diagnoses deviations in test performance due to instrument malfunction. 3. Performs and documents quality control and assurance activities and corrective actions related to test performance using statistical principles and theories of performance improvement. 4. Assists in writing procedures and other documents as directed 5.

Completes multiple laboratory competencies in multiple laboratory disciplines (CAP/JCAHO) 6. Specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects such as laboratory safety, analyzer specialist, employee competency records, supply functions, quality control review, new method development or process improvement 7. Answers inquiries regarding test results, methodology, test specificity, test sensitivity, and specific factors, which influence test results. Interprets results and suggests follow-up test selection or procedures 8. Adheres to practices and regulations governing biosafety and biosecurity in the workplace. 9. Plans and carries out the procedures necessary to complete the work assignment and handles problems and corrects errors in accordance with established protocols and accepted laboratory practices. 10. Oversight of the clinical training experiences of technical and professional level technologist training programs in order to fulfill professional requirements; provides technical training and guidance to residents, staff and other employees. Preferred Experience: Two or more years of recent experience in all areas of the clinical laboratory (Generalist) in a medium to large medical center for this Advanced Staff Technologist position (Odd tours) .

Work Schedule: M-F, 4:00PM-12:00AM or 12:00AM-8:00AM, with rotating holidays and weekends (Tour of duty is subject to change based on agency’s needs. ) Financial Disclosure Report: Not required”]

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