Summary

The position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center (VISN 4) - under the Pathology and Laboratory Service. The purpose of this position is to perform highly specialized tasks which require special knowledge as well as being the point of contact or technical expert and advisor to laboratory and professional medical staff in the specialty of histopathology and Immunohistochemistry.

Qualifications

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
• Individuals must meet one of the requirements below: (1) Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university - leading to a bachelor's or higher degree - that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist - such as - but not limited to clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• OR - (2) Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both)
• OR - (3) Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education - leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree - with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist - such as clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials - and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Certification
• (1) Candidates must currently possess the histo-technologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam: (a) Successful completion of a histo-technician or histo-technology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS)
• OR - (b) One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation - embedding - microtomy - processing - and staining in a histopathology (clinical - veterinary - industry - or research) laboratory
• Physical requirement
• pre-employment physical must be passed
• English language requirement
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).All histopathology technologists employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series - who perform the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard - are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position - the following provisions apply: (1) Histopathology technologists who do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance level - or demoted within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in a supervisory or managerial position
• (2) Histopathology technologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or receive a new appointment on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (3) Histopathology technologists initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard - must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• (4) If histopathology technologists - who are grandfathered under this provision - leave the occupation then those employees lose grandfathered protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the histopathology technologist occupation in this series
• Grade Determinations: Histopathology Technologist - GS-9 (1) Experience
• Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be filled
• (2) Assignment
• At the full performance level - the histopathology technologist independently performs a full range of routine and specialized tests
• Utilize information technology systems to apply histopathology techniques and broad scientific principles from the fields of biology - chemistry - anatomy and physiology
• The histopathology technologist acts as a technical resource - troubleshooting a variety of specialized lab tests - identifying suboptimal issues - and uses independent judgment and resources to resolve concerns
• The histopathology technologist ensures goals are met by prioritizing work - as necessary - in times of short staffing - or heavy workload - and by performing simultaneous tasks
• The histopathology technologist uses professional skills in applying anatomic pathology principles - practices - concepts - and theories to perform new or difficult specialized testing methods - such as immuno-histochemical - histochemical - and frozen section techniques
• (3) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and inter-connectivity
• (b) Knowledge of histopathology techniques - chemistry - anatomy and physiology principles - theories - concepts - and methodologies sufficient to process specimens - and the ability to perform a full range of routine specialized tests
• (c) Ability to identify and test suboptimal specimens and take corrective action to minimize or eliminate impact on a patient's sample
• (d) Ability to organize - coordinate - and prioritize simultaneous work assignments
• both individual and team related
• (e) Skill in applying professional - anatomic pathology principles - practices - concepts - and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques
• Preferred Experience: References: VA Handbook 5005/118 - Part II - Appendix G65.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 TO GS-9.

Duties

• Histopathology technologist independently performs a full range of routine and specialized tests
• They utilize information technology systems to apply histopathology techniques and broad scientific principles from the fields of biology - chemistry - anatomy and physiology
• The histopathology technologist acts as a technical resource - troubleshooting a variety of specialized lab tests - identifying suboptimal issues - and uses independent judgment and resources to resolve concerns
• The histopathology technologist ensures goals are met by prioritizing work - as necessary - in times of short staffing - or heavy workload - and by performing simultaneous tasks
• Major Duties include but are not limited to: Performs a broad range of laboratory procedures including all processing from wet tissue to slide preparation involving anatomic pathology - i.e
• surgical pathology - and autopsy pathology
• Evaluates and solves problems related to collection and processing of biological specimens for diagnostic evaluation considering physiologic processes and requirements Identifies the need for and perform fixation techniques that are non-routine such as lymph node preparations and bone decalcification Performs frozen section preparations Assists with the collection and processing of kidney biopsies
• Adheres to practices and regulations governing safety in the laboratory
• Operates the microtome to achieve tissue sections of the thickness required for variety of tissue types and test methods
• Performs routine and special histochemical stains as requested by the pathologist Trains and performs cross coverage duties in the Immunohistochemistry laboratory including fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and chromogenic in-situ hybridization (CISH) as well as FISH analysis when needed
• Operates and performs routine maintenance of instruments - troubleshoots - and resolves problems
• Performs quality control and assurance procedures well as troubleshoot quality control problems including examining slides under a microscope to ensure tissue preparation meets laboratory requirements
• File blocks - slides - and residual tissue and maintains them in accordance with record retention guidelines
• Packages - appropriately records - and distributes a variety send out request in accordance with established laboratory procedures
• Incorporates principles of educational methodology in the instruction and training of new employees and students and in the laboratory's internship/continuing education program
• Communicates effectively and courteously while working as a healthcare team member
• Organizes work and sets priorities to meet deadlines
• Maintains an adequate stock of supplies in the various areas of the laboratory and indicates when supplies are low
• Assists in autopsy procedures and the maintenance of the autopsy suite - as needed
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am to 3:30 pm Functional Statement #: Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized