Summary Employee will serve as a Pathology Specialist within the Pathology and Laboratory Department located at the VA Boston Healthcare System in West Roxbury, MA. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-9 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. The Pathology Specialist position provides technical and administrative assistance, oversight, and coordination of all the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite in Anatomic Pathology Service. Duties include, but are not limited to: Coordinates Surgical Pathology functions, working independently to perform these high complexity functions, or in collaboration with one or more pathologists. Oversees and performs work in the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite to ensure proper processing of tissue samples, especially those requiring special handling. Monitors workflow, designs and implements new processes and procedures, evaluates outcomes and implements improvements. Maintains, develops, and participates in the development of up-to-date anatomical pathology protocols. Determines the appropriate triage of patient biopsy material for additional testing and uses judgment on the correct additional tests to apply to limited sample. Provides oversight of quality assurance functions to ensure the quality of technical work is performed. Prepares work areas for inspections and participates in internal, regulatory, safety and accreditation inspection processes. Assists in the teaching of residents and medical students. Develops policies and procedures for autopsy protocol, specimen grossing, frozen section procedures, morgue set up and supplies. Performs examination and processing of pathology specimens including fixing, gross examination, orientation, cutting and dissecting, photographing, and sectioning of patient autopsy, biopsy and surgical specimens. Accessions biopsy and surgical specimens and ensures that requisitions are properly completed, and that specimen containers, and cassettes are properly labeled. Addresses clinician/provider inquiries concerning autopsy and surgical cases. Assisting in setting up gross specimen conferences, such as the autopsy or brain cutting conferences. Assists pathologists, residents, and medical students in completing autopsies, lifting bodies from the stretcher to the table, in handling surgical instruments such as knives, saws, scaffolds, forceps, etc. Assists in the collection of fluids or tissue specimens for approved research projects, under supervision by the pathologists. Ensures the morgue and cutting room are properly supplied, maintains inventory and reports items to be ordered to the anatomic pathology manager. Develops, reviews and revises procedures in anatomic pathology. Ensures that anatomic pathology equipment is functioning properly and will take appropriate action when there is an equipment malfunction. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the following qualification requirements. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Requires experience working in a Hospital Pathology setting. AND BASIC EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Requires Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained. AND, to qualify for the GS-9 grade level: EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes providing technical and administrative assistance of pathology grossing areas, frozen section areas and an autopsy suite; serving as technical consultant and advisor to pathologists, laboratory managers/supervisors, medical staff (both local and external) regarding policies, procedures, and practices related to anatomic pathology. OR EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree with major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. OR COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of one full year of graduate education may be combined with experience. To qualify for the GS-11 grade level: EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes coordinating surgical pathology functions, working independently to perform these high complexity functions, or in collaboration with the pathologists; performing work in the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite to ensure proper processing of tissue samples, especially those requiring special handling; monitoring workflow, designing and implementing new processes and procedures, evaluating outcomes and implementing improvements. OR EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of two full years may be combined with experience. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Communications Diagnostic Medical Testing Infection Control Quality Management IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work requires long periods of standing, bending over instruments, counters, and tables (cryostat, autopsy table, cutting benches), as well as heavy lifting (bodies; supplies). The work procedure requires manual dexterity and depth perception for determining depth and angles of cuts into human tissues. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
