This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. Education and/or Experience Applicant's must meet one of the following requirements: 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 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, 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. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) above. This finding may be based on either of the following: (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its bachelor of medical technology degree. (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination. Certification: Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. NOTE: candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB) and blood bank (BB/SBB Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may be given a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed one year as a graduate medical technologist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). This appointment may not be extended. For grade levels above the full performance level, the candidate must be certified in accordance with paragraph 2d(1) above. Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, MTs must actively pursue meeting prerequisites for certification from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the MT with the written requirement to obtain certification, the date by which the certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within one year from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0644 MT series. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.GS-10 Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles, and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques. Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems. Knowledge of the application of laboratory requirements. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training. 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. Preferred Experience: A Generalist Medical Technologist with at least one year independently performing testing in Chemistry, Hematology & Blood Bank as a Medical Technologist II. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24, MEDICAL TECHONOLOGIST QUALIFIACTION STANDARDS. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 lbs; Moderate carrying,15-44lbs; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (2 hours), Standing (2), Both legs required, Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Specific visual requirement (Good), Both eyes required (one eyes only, far vision corrected). ["The Atlanta VA Medical Center is currently recruiting for Lead Medical Technologists (TL) for the day and night shifts. Medical Technologists at this level generally have professional oversight responsibilities and provides professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists on evening or night shifts 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, quality control review, new method development, or employee or student training. The Lead Medical Technologist Leader (TL) 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 Lead Medical Technologist (TL) also provides technical advice to staff and other health care members and oversees work assignments and work flow. The Lead Medical Technologist (TL) 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 Lead Medical Technologist (TL) may be responsible for reporting personnel absences and may be responsible for staff schedules and other assignments delegated by the departmental supervisors. Other duties include, but are not limited to: Develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results. Performs testing procedures on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automated techniques. Monitors quality control systems and measures. Evaluates the suitability of the specimen for analysis, requesting new specimen if needed. Prepares specimens for analysis, insuring that the physiological state of the specimen properties is maintained. Responsible for the generation of accurate laboratory results and keeping records of all work done in the laboratory. Responsible for entering, editing and verifying results recorded in the computer system. Occasionally submits atypical organisms to a reference for identification, typing, epidemiological or study purposes. Serves as an expert providing authoritative advice and consultation for more difficult, complex, or unique tests requiring special knowledge. Assists the supervisor in technical phases of the organizational level on various aspects of the specialized testing including appropriateness that takes into consideration clinical context. Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members to ensure that tasks, priorities, goals are coordinated with management. Performs other duties as assigned by management. Work Schedule: 12:00am - 8:30am (Night Shift) and 7:00am - 3:30pm (Day Shift).\nTelework: Not available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Lead Medical Technologist (Generalist)/PD08120A\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Paulette.Holland@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]