Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Clinical Laboratory Scientist - Generalist
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSU-12735147-25-SG Opens in new window
Open Period
Monday, June 2, 2025 to Tuesday, June 10, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you an employee of the department/service line indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you may be required submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Please review the instructions in the announcement.  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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3. Are you a current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduate?

An HPT may be VA-paid, Without Compensation (WOC), or a participant of the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program that has been appointed to a temporary position in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experience to satisfy program or degree requirements.

To verify your standing as a current/past/upcoming HPT graduate, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50), the FL-294 (or a WOC appointment letter).
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Preferences
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.
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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.
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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). (limit characters)
2. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in the Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-644, position with the Veterans Health Administration. To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements. Grandfathering Provision: A  Clinical Laboratory Scientist employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (12/3/2024) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-0185-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements. (limit characters)
Basic Requirements (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. English Language Proficiency. Are you proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)? (limit characters)
2. Education. Do you possess a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university OR do you qualify using the Grandfathering Provision OR do you qualify using foreign education OR are you a current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduate? (limit characters)
3. Certification. Which of the basic certification requirements listed below do you possess?
  • Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT OR
  • Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT OR
  • I qualify for this requirement using the Grandfathering Provision OR
  • I qualify for this requirement using the exception for non-certified applicants and I understand I may only be appointed at the entry level and that temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.
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Grade Level Requirements - Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. (limit characters)
4. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-09 Experience or Education. Which of the experience or education requirements described below do you possess? 
  • Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade OR 
  • Education. Master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or a directly related science OR
  • Grandfathering Provision. I qualify for this requirement using the Grandfathering Provision OR
  • Health Professions Trainee. I am a current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduate.
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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
5. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-09 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing.
  • Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance principles.
  • Knowledge of laboratory equipment and routine maintenance.
  • Ability to work as a team member and effectively complete assignments.
  • Ability to read and interpret written instructions.
  • Ability to accurately perform pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of testing.
Do you possess the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities as described above?
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6. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-11 Experience or Education. Which of the experience or education requirements described below do you possess? 
  • Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level OR
  • 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 OR
  • Grandfathering Provision. I qualify for this requirement using the Grandfathering Provision OR
  • Health Professions Trainee. I am a current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduate.
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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
7. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-11 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
  • Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
  • Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
  • Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
  • Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
  • Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
  • Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the health care team, external relations, customer service, and patient education.
Do you possess the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities as described above?
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RESUME REMINDER - Your resume must 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

TRANSCRIPTS AND LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION - Please provide a copy of your transcripts and licensure/certification to demonstrate you meet the requirements of the position posted.

SF-50 REMINDER- If you are a current federal employee, a former employee with reinstatement rights, or OAA eligible, you MUST submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 or your separation/ resignation SF-50. This SF-50 needs to show your current or last grade, step, wage, and title. Please do not submit a bonus or award SF-50. A promotion, General wage adjudication, Step- progression or a separation SF-50 are the preferred SF-50's. Your federal employment status cannot be verified without this document and you will be disqualified for not meeting the area of consideration if you do not provide the documentation.

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.
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