Summary This position is located at the VA Medical Center in Tampa, FL. The Pathology Specialist is an allied health professional, qualified by academic and practical training to assist in providing service in Anatomic Pathology under the direction and supervision of the Chief of Surgical Pathology and Supervisor Health Science Specialist. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Performs accurate gross examination, sectioning and dictation of all specimens to include biopsies, skin excisions and surgical tissue, both simple and complex in nature; Selects, prepares, and submits appropriate gross tissue sections for frozen sections as well as for light, electron, and immunofluorescence microscopy as needed; Uses accurate autopsy techniques to perform post mortem examinations including internal and external inspection and description of findings within appropriate turnaround times; Performs STAT frozen sections; Instructs pathology residents, clinicians and other staff members about surgical pathology and autopsy procedures; and Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates 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 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT: A bachelor's degree (or higher) with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this position. Transcripts required. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - AND- SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you 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 this position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of (GS-11) in Federal service. Specialized experience includes expertise in the gross evaluation of all human surgical specimens, both simple and complex; utilizing hospital based computer software systems; preparing frozen section slides; and performing gross evaluation of human autopsies. This experience must be demonstrated on your resume to receive credit. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Attention to Detail Diagnostic Medical Testing Pathology Pathophysiology Quality Assurance Technical Competence 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 or sitting while performing gross examinations and occasional lifting or pulling of heavy items (bodies, extremities) and above average dexterity in dissection of specimens and cutting frozen sections. 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. There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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 Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. 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.
