Summary About the Position: This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. Position is located at the Molecular Lab, Duty Station: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation Responsibilities Perform and support high-complexity molecular laboratory testing, mainly oncology-related molecular pathology testing, including PCR and next-generation sequencing workflows. Participate in the pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic phases of clinical molecular testing, including specimen processing, assay setup, instrument operation, documentation, and workflow coordination. Support validation, verification, quality control, proficiency testing, troubleshooting, corrective actions, and performance monitoring for molecular laboratory methods, instruments, reagents, and testing systems. Maintain good laboratory practice requirements, including preventive maintenance, temperature monitoring, reagent and material tracking, quality assurance records, and inspection-related documentation. Support CAP/CLIA regulatory and accreditation compliance, safety requirements, procedure review, quality improvement activities, and inspection readiness. Participate in the planning and implementation of advanced molecular laboratory services to support complex patient care and evolving diagnostic capabilities. Assess laboratory supply, equipment, instrumentation, logistics, and resource needs; analyze workload and operational trends; and support budget and resource planning. Prepare reports, summaries, issue papers, and recommendations related to laboratory quality, effectiveness, compliance, and operational improvement. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. 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 high-complexity clinical laboratory testing; supporting Laboratory readiness and ensuring compliance with College of American Pathology (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), and other regulatory requirements; performing molecular diagnostic testing such as PCR, sequencing, fragment analysis, or other nucleic acid-based assays; performing and reviewing quality control, quality assurance procedures, documenting test performance, corrective actions, and technical issues in accordance with laboratory policies; troubleshooting laboratory instrumentation, assay performance, and test system issues; supporting proficiency testing and performance monitoring. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11). 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. Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted. Education FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. Recruitment or relocation incentives MAY be authorized for highly qualified candidates. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
