USA Staffing

Position Title: Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Agency: Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number: CBSZ-12700799-25-LMN Opens in new window
Open Period: Monday, February 24, 2025 to Monday, March 31, 2025

For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.

1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?

A. No, I do not claim Veterans' Preference

B. 0-point Sole Survivorship Preference (SSP)

C. 5-point preference based on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (TP)

D. 10-point preference for non-compensable disability or Purple Heart (XP)

E. 10-point preference based on a compensable service connected disability of at least 10% but less than 30% (CP)

F. 10 point preference based on widow/widower or parent of a deceased veteran, or spouse or parent of a disabled veteran (XP)

G. 10-point preference based on a compensable service connected disability of 30% or more (CPS)

2. Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.

A. Yes

B. No

3. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment. Will you comply with this requirement?

A. Yes

B. No

4. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English?

A. Yes

B. No

If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.

1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.

A. Yes, I am considered a political appointee as described under 5 U.S.C. sections 5312 through 5316.

B. Yes, I am considered a Non-career Senior Executive Service (SES), Limited Term SES, Limited Emergency SES Executive Branch employee.

C. Yes, I am considered a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or appointee who served in a political capacity under agency-specific authority in the Executive Branch.

D. Yes, I am considered a political appointee in the Executive Branch (as described in a., b. or c above) in a covered position in an agency having an interchange agreement with OPM, which allows movement from the agency's system to the competitive civil service.

E. None of the above. I am not considered a current or recent (last 5 years) political appointee as described above in items a, b, c, or d.

Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:

Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).

Please review the following question and respond with the most appropriate answer as it relates to your education, certification, and experience.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

1. Education Required:
1. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.*Transcripts Required*
OR
2. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following:

Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR
The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.

NOTE: Possession of a certification identified in the qualification standard above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.

Do you posses the education as stated above required for the position?

A. Yes

B. No

2. Certification: You must posses one of the two options below for certification to be considered eligible to qualify.

(1) Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.

Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT. OR
Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT. OR
Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.

NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).

(2) Exception for Non-Certified. Applicants who do not currently hold valid certification may be hired by VA and actively work toward their certification if they meet one of the routes identified in Appendix A that makes them eligible to take the MLS certification exam through the ASCP BOC or the MLS certification exam through AMT Certification Agency.

Education and Experience must be met. 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 (for example, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.) AND Completion of a medical technology clinical practice program within the last 5 years. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must be accredited by the 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 4-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree.
Education, Certification, and Experience must be met. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics. AND 1 year of post-MLT certification clinical laboratory experience within the last 3 years. This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing (as categorized by the FDA) in a clinical laboratory. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement.
Education and Experience must be met. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics. AND 4 years of clinical laboratory experience within the last nine years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood bank, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.
Education, Military Training, and Experience must be met. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university with 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in biology including one semester in microbiology and 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemistry, which may be obtained within or in addition to, the bachelor's degree. AND Completion of a 50-week U.S. Military MLT training program (with official certificate verifying completion of training) within the last 10 years. AND 1 year full-time clinical laboratory experience within the last 10 years. This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and urinalysis/body fluids (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement.

Please select from one of the below answers which pertains to your certification or exception to certification.
*Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.

A. I possess one of the certifications as described and will provide a copy.

B. I possess the exception to the certification: 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 (for example, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.) AND Completion of a medical technology clinical practice program within the last 5 years. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must be accredited by the 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 4-year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree.

C. I possess the exception to the certification: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics. AND 1 year of post-MLT certification clinical laboratory experience within the last 3 years. This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing (as categorized by the FDA) in a clinical laboratory. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement.

D. I possess the exception to the certification: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*), and one course in mathematics. AND 4 years of clinical laboratory experience within the last nine years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood bank, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory.

E. I possess the exception to the certification: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university with 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in biology including one semester in microbiology and 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemistry, which may be obtained within or in addition to, the bachelor’s degree. AND Completion of a 50-week U.S. Military MLT training program (with official certificate verifying completion of training) within the last 10 years. AND 1 year full-time clinical laboratory experience within the last 10 years. This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and urinalysis/body fluids (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement.

F. I do not possess either the certification or an exception as stated.

3. Certification: If you possess one of the acceptable certifications please provide the below in narrative form. If you are applying with an exception you can reply with N/A.

Certification Title:
Certifying Body:
Certificate Number:
Expiration Date (if applicable):

The previous questions pertained to the basic qualifications, or entry level (GS-7) Clinical Laboratory Scientist. The following assessments will determine your qualifications for the grades GS-9 and GS-11.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

4. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-09: Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below:
(a) Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Experience at this level serves in a CLS entry-level position. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require daily direct supervision.
OR
(b) Education. Master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or a directly related science.

Do you posses the education or experience as stated above for the GS-9 level?

A. Yes

B. No

5. GS-9 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing.
(b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance principles.
(c) Knowledge of laboratory equipment and routine maintenance.
(d) Ability to work as a team member and effectively complete assignments.
(e) Ability to read and interpret written instructions.
(f) Ability to accurately perform pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of testing.

You will be give an opportunity to reply in narrative regarding your knowledge, skill, and abilities. If you feel your application package sufficiently explains your qualification, feel free to respond "yes". If you wish to elaborate on your experience in these KSAs you are able to use the narrative block to add to your application.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

6. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-11: Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below:
(a) Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Experience at this level serves as a developmental CLS. The CLS is responsible for evaluating, performing, interpreting, and validating the accuracy and validity of test results. The CLS demonstrates a clear progression of clinical knowledge and experience by performing testing procedures on a variety of biological specimens using manual or automated methods. This includes routine testing, quality control, routine maintenance of instrumentation, and troubleshooting that applies innovative procedures and problem solving. Deviations from regular procedures, unanticipated problems, and unfamiliar situations are referred to more experienced staff for a decision or assistance. Assignments at this level will include developmental duties of increasing scope and diversity as compared to the entry level.
OR
(b) Education. Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science.

Do you possess the education or experience as stated for the GS-11?

A. Yes

B. No

7. GS-11 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
(b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
(c) Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
(d) Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
(e) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
(f) Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
(g) Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the health care team, external relations, customer service, and patient education

You will be give an opportunity to reply in narrative regarding your knowledge, skill, and abilities. If you feel your application package sufficiently explains your qualification, feel free to respond "yes". If you wish to elaborate on your experience in these KSAs you are able to use the narrative block to add to your application.

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