Remote Clinical Lab Scientist Jobs in California

Summary
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.
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Duties
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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
The Clinical Laboratory Scientist rotates on a regular basis through the areas in which they have been trained and are competent. The incumbent also works weekends and holidays as priorities demonstrate a need. The duties and responsibilities of the Clinical Laboratory Scientist includes but is not limited to:

• Performs a broad range of standard, advanced, and complex laboratory procedures, recognizes deviations from expected results, analyzes and corrects problems using scientific principles, and recognizes and communicates predefined critical results to appropriate staff.
• Evaluates and solves problems related to collection and processing of biological specimens, understands specimen requirements, and accounts for physiologic processes that may affect specimen analysis.
• Maintains laboratory equipment and documents maintenance according to laboratory policies and procedures. Performs instrument calibrations and repairs, provides preventive maintenance, identifies instrument malfunctions, and documents and resolves deviations of instrument performance.
• Performs and documents quality control and quality assurance activities and corrective actions related to test performance using statistical principles and theories of performance improvement.
• Adheres to practices and regulations governing biosafety and biosecurity in the workplace.
• Ensures compliance with rules and regulations of assorted regulatory agencies such as CAP, FDA, NEO, JC, AABB, and OSHA.
• Identifies discrepancies, solves problems, and suggests solutions.
• Answers inquiries regarding test results, methodology, test specificity, test sensitivity, and specific factors, which influence test results, interprets results and suggests follow-up test selection or procedures.
• Communicates effectively and courteously while working as a healthcare team member. Provides excellent service as defined by the customer (healthcare providers, patients, and others). Gives direction and guidance using underlying principles of laboratory testing.
• Organizes work and sets priorities to meet deadlines.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 3:30 pm, Rotating Weekends and Holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification. (1) Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
  
  • (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
  • (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
  • (c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.

NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
(1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) If an assignment above the FPL requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be promoted.
(3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
(5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.
Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following:(1) Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.
NOTE: Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.
Grade Determinations:
Clinical Laboratory Scientist GS-11
Experience or Education: Candidates at this level must meet one of the criteria below:

• (a) Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. OR
• (b) Education. Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related science.

(2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• (a) Knowledge of professional clinical laboratory science principles, practices, concepts, and theories that support sound, independent work.
• (b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement.
• (c) Skill in informatics, laboratory data flow, and laboratory processes.
• (d) Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair instrumentation.
• (e) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
• (f) Ability to read, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
• (g) Ability to communicate, consult, and interact with other members of the health care team, external relations, customer service, and patient education

Assignment. This is considered FPL for a CLS. A CLS at this level independently carries out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory. The CLS develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates, and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results in line with current laboratory regulatory requirements. The work performed may be in a variety of laboratory specialties such as chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hematology, and immunohematology. Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or environmental samples using manual or automated methods. In addition to routine testing, the CLS conducts quality control and routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting. The CLS correlates abnormal lab data with pathological states, determines the validity of test results, and the need for additional tests. Specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects may include laboratory safety officer, analyzer specialist, primary operator on new test systems, quality control specialist, supply control, and/or coordinator for the laboratory competency assessment or proficiency/survey program. This assignment may include limited duties in areas such as lab information management and ancillary testing. These tasks require a broad exercise of independent judgment and responsibility, including organizing and setting priorities with minimal technical supervision. The CLS assesses a situation, considers the options, and formulates an appropriate course of action. T