Summary The work is in an medical laboratory in an ambulatory health care center. Conduct testing to provide data to medical providers to make decisions about diagnosis and treatment of disease. We are accepting applications year-round with eligible applicants being placed on a standing register and eligible candidates referred for consideration as vacancies occur with referral at multiple grade levels and locations and type of appointments (i.e. permanent or temporary). Responsibilities Conducts routine and specialized tests including customer service and specimen collection. Reports test results and consults with medical providers on additional tests that may be useful or necessary to clarify problems. Contacts and evaluates reference testing. Designs and/or implements instrument, reagent and product check systems. Participates in Quality Assurance program. Establishes or follows a preventative maintenance program for all instruments. Calibrates or standardizes equipment, troubleshoots malfunctions, makes simple repairs or identifies need for external services. Maintains a current procedural manual, reviewing and revising as needed. If selected candidate is hired at the grade level GS-07, the selected candidate gains experience toward the next level of grade level GS-09 and until the full performance level of GS-11 is achieved. Requirements Conditions of Employment Selectee may be subject to a probationary/trial period ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes. Adherence to the IHS Employee Immunization Policy, SGM 21-04, and the IHS Circular 2016-04 requiring Measles and Rubella, COVID-19, and seasonal influenza immunizations for staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities OR an exemption request will need to be submitted. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/. Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. For a brief video on creating a federal resume, click here. Hiring Flexibility - Tentative Qualification: The Hiring Manager/Selecting Official/Area Consultant elected to utilize an available flexibility wherein applicants who are actively completing a required professional training program and are expected to complete such program within 6 month(s) of applying, may be deemed tentatively qualified. Note: Employees currently assigned to positions in this occupational series as of September 2017 will be considered to have met the basic requirements for the position occupied. BASIC REQUIREMENT - EDUCATION: (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.)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, including 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. BASIC REQUIREMENT - Experience or Graduate Education must have been in (1) the general field of medical technology; (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology; or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled. NOTE: Clinical laboratory intern (student medical technologist) experience in an education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) education program may be credited on a month-for-month basis toward meeting the GS-7 specialized experience requirement. In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education described below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-07: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the certain type of work and/or tasks. Examples: conduct basic chemistry, hematology, and urinalysis testing per published procedures on various instrumentation; follow established procedures to perform quality control; use basic lab equipment/instruments such as microscope, centrifuge, and analyzers; perform specimen collection and phlebotomy procedures. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-09: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the certain type of work and/or tasks. Examples: conduct and evaluate molecular diagnostics testing in support of national public health reporting, special chemistry testing for cancer markers, and hematology testing for diagnostic evaluations; review, evaluate, and advise on new laboratory testing to support local/regional/national clinical needs and best practices; evaluate and advise bases on advanced understanding of current scientific research and industry standards, cost analysis and program capacity; advise, review, inspect, educate and train on interdepartmental quality assurance metrics; revise standard methods to improve or extend test systems; evaluate methods to meet the requirements of particular testing situations; plan, implement, or monitor healthcare or laboratory programs/services. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-11: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the certain type of work and/or tasks. Examples: conduct and evaluate molecular diagnostics testing in support of national public health reporting, special chemistry testing for cancer markers, and hematology testing for diagnostic evaluations; review, evaluate, and advise on new laboratory testing to support local/regional/national clinical needs and best practices; evaluate and advise bases on advanced understanding of current scientific research and industry standards, cost analysis and program capacity; advise, review, inspect, educate and train on interdepartmental quality assurance metrics; revise standard methods to improve or extend test systems; evaluate methods to meet the requirements of particular testing situations; plan, implement, or monitor healthcare or laboratory programs/services. Specialized Experience This is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Note: Creditable experience is experience of the type (general or specialized), level, and amount specified in the appropriate standard. Applicants are considered to have satisfied the requirement for 1 year of experience through completion of either 12 months or 52 weeks of creditable work experience, whichever comes first. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the established cut-off date or the closing date of the announcement. Education Substitution of Education for Experience: Grade GS-07: 1-year of graduate level education in (1) the general field of medical technology, (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology, or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled. OR Successful completion of a 4-year course of study in a relevant field leading to a bachelor's degree at an accredited college/university AND meet one of the following requirements for Superior Academic Achievement. (1) I graduated with at least an overall GPA of 2.95; (2) I graduated with at least a 3.45 GPA in my major or during the last two years of college; (3) I graduated in the top third of my class; OR (4) I have been a member of a national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. Grade GS-09: Successful completion of 2-years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in (1) the general field of medical technology, (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology, or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled. Grade GS-11: Successful completion of 3-years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree in (1) the general field of medical technology, (2) one of the disciplines or specialized areas of medical technology, or (3) a field directly related and applicable to medical technology or the position to be filled. General Information Regarding Education: This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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 https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Combination of Education and Specialized Experience: Combination of education and specialized experience that when combined; fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-09 grade level. Additional Information This position is eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the HHS Workplace Flexibilities policy. https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/asa/ohr/hr-library/990-1/index.html. Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a federal employee. IHS may offer newly appointed Federal employees' credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. The following locations, the position is covered by a Bargaining Unit: Yakima Service Unit or Western Oregon Service Unit. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required. This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration. For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps, visit the website at: https://www.usphs.gov/. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/ For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps This position has promotion potential to the GS-11 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher-level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.