Overview
Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Quality Assurrance) , Tacoma, WA
At Madigan you will practice alongside civilian and military health care experts and experience unique professional opportunties. Our staff serves by caring for our military but are not subject to military requirements. We operate within safe staffing standards - giving you time to provide exceptional care.
Located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on the Puget Sound, in Washington State, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) is near the city of Lakewood, 10 minutes from Tacoma and 20 minutes from Olympia, the state capitol. JBLM is situated in a key location along Interstate 5, allowing easy access to Seattle, Tacoma, and the welcoming neighboring communities. Although the Army and Air Force missions have changed over the years, one thing has not changed-the natural setting of the base. Majestic Mount Rainier looms on the horizon, towering over the other peaks of the Cascade Range. From the mountains to the deep waters of Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean, the local areas abound in natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. Camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating and new sports are a way of life in Washington State.
Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/
Responsibilities
This position performs professional clinical laboratory science work for a military medical treatment facility (MTF); developing, implementing, and overseeing policy related to health quality and safety standards for laboratories under governing Federal statutes.
Major Duties
Quality Assurance and Quality Control Program Execution:
Serves as the Quality Assurance (QA) Clinical Lab Scientist for the Blood Donor Center. Responsible for the independent development, execution, and maintenance of quality assurance and quality control systems governing donor eligibility determination, blood collection, testing, component preparation, storage, labeling, distribution, and transfusion support.
Ensures that laboratory and donor center processes comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, Department of War (DoW) and command policy, Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB), College of American Pathologists (CAP), Collaborative Learning in Practice (CLIP), Joint Commission, and other applicable regulatory and accrediting agency requirements. Functions in an independent technical and advisory role, without program ownership or final regulatory authority.
Plans, develops, implements, and maintains a comprehensive QA/QC program for blood donor center operations. Designs quality control procedures for new and existing tests, equipment and processes, identifying appropriate control materials, acceptable performance ranges, statistical parameters, and surveillance methods to monitor within-run, between-run, and long-term trends. Evaluates QC data to detect shifts, trends, or failures; assesses impact on donor safety and product quality; and initiates corrective and preventive actions in accordance with regulatory and accrediting requirements. Ensures QC systems effectively monitor essay performance, equipment reliability, reagent integrity, and process consistency.
Validation, Proficiency Testing, and Surveillance:
Validates test systems, equipment, and processes to ensure they consistently produce accurate and reliable results meeting predetermined specifications. Coordinates and evaluates participation in external proficiency testing programs reliant to donor testing and transfusion services. Investigates unsatisfactory proficiency testing results, documents findings, and implements corrective actions. Maintains surveillance systems to monitor variables affecting the quality and reliability of laboratory and donor testing services.
Audits, Assessments, and Corrective Actions:
Conducts internal audits and quality reviews of donor center operations, records, and procedures. Identifies deficiencies, non-conformances, and adverse events. Performs root cause analysis and develops, implements, and monitors corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plans. Prepares audit reports and QA documentation detailing findings, analyses, and recommended actions and reports progress to laboratory management.
Documentation, Recordkeeping, and Information Systems:
Establishes, maintains, and evaluates QA-related recordkeeping systems to ensure data integrity, traceability, and regulatory compliance, including both manual and computerized laboratory information systems. Ensures accurate accession, documentation, reporting, and retention of donor and blood product records. Maintains QA documentation, SOP indexes, validation records, audit files, and proficiency testing records.
Regulatory Support, Consultation, and Training:
Serves as the primary QA technical liaison during regulatory inspections and audits. Provides documentation, explains QA/QC processes, and prepares draft responses to inspection findings in coordination with laboratory leadership. Provides technical consultation, guidance, and training to medical technologists, technicians, nurses, physicians, and other staff on QA principles, regulatory requirements, and best practices in blood donor operations. Instructs trainees and staff in the theoretical and practical aspects of quality assurance, donor testing, and transfusion safety. Represents the Blood Donor Center on quality management, utilization review, and performance improvement committees, advising leadership on QA findings, trends, and compliance risks.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
US Citizenship required
Must have at least 1 year of licensed experience at the time of application
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT & NOTES: Other significant facts pertaining to this position are:
US Citizenship required
Basic Requirement for Clinical Laboratory Scientist:
A. A Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from a regionally accredited college/university including courses in biological science, chemistry and mathematics, AND successful completion of a Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.
OR
B. At least a full 4-year course of study that included 12 months in a college or hospital-based medical technology program or medical technology school approved by a recognized accrediting organization. The professional medical technology curriculum may have consisted of a 1-year post- bachelor's certificate program or the last 1 or 2 years of a 4-year program of study culminating in a bachelor's in medical technology.
OR
C. A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree from an accredited college/university that included 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one semester in microbiology), 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one semester in organic or biochemistry), one semester (one quarter) of mathematics, AND five years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, microbiology, Immunology and Urinalysis/Body Fluids. This combination of education and experience must have provided knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of medical technology equivalent to that provided by the full 4-year course of study described in A or B above. All science and mathematics courses must have been acceptable for credit toward meeting the requirements for a science major at an accredited college or university. Acceptable experience is responsible professional or technician experience in a hospital laboratory, health agency, industrial medical laboratory, or pharmaceutical house; or teaching, test development, or medical research program experience that provided an understanding of the methods and techniques applied in performing professional clinical laboratory work. Certification/licensure as a medical technologist (generalist) obtained through written examination by a nationally recognized credentialing agency or State licensing body is a good indication that the quality of experience is acceptable.
Evaluation of Education and Experience: The four major areas of clinical laboratory science are microbiology, clinical chemistry, hematology, and immunohematology (blood banking). Qualifying course work in these areas includes bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, tissue culture, virology, parasitology, endocrinology, enzymology, toxicology, urinalysis, coagulation, hemostasis, cell morphology, immunology, serology, immunoserology, immuno-deficiency, hemolysis, histocompatibility, cyto-genetics, and similar disciplines or areas of laboratory practice.Related fields include physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, cell biology, embryology, pathology, genetics, pharmacology, histology, cytology, nuclear medicine, epidemiology, biostatistics, infection control, physics, statistics, and similar areas of science where the work is directly related to the position to be filled.
Exemption: You are exempt from the basic requirements above if you are a current federal employee occupying a position in the 0644 occupational series and have been continuously employed in this occupational series since September 27, 2017, or before. Note: You will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the respective Human Resources Office to validate your status.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes performing testing in a clinical laboratory, monitoring quality control in a clinical laboratory, and maintaining clinical laboratory equipment. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).
OR
Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: medical technology, chemistry, biology or education that is directly related to the position.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.
AND
Certification: Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Medical Technologist (AMT) or other board or registry deemed comparable by Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD(HA)) or their designee as a Medical Technologist (MT) or Medical Lab Scientist (MLS) is required.
Apply for this Job Online (https://careers-civilianmedicaljobs.icims.com/jobs/9211/clinical-laboratory-scientist-%28quality-assurance%29-%28gs-11%29/job?mode=apply&apply=yes&in_iframe=1&hashed=-336268516)
Location US-WA-TACOMA
Job ID 2026-9211
Positions 1
Category Medical
Salary Range GS-11
