Remote Clinical Lab Scientist Jobs in Ohio (NOW HIRING)

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 Supervisory CLS exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff. The CLS provides guidance and serves as an authority and subject matter expert on laboratory medicine including research, agency policies, new techniques, and procedures. This individual develops guidelines, assesses laboratory effectiveness, and establishes and maintains quality assurance and quality management programs. The CLS consults with or serves as a consultant for local, network, and national programs and/or officials. The CLS manages regulatory affairs and compliance and develops and manages program budget and resource usage, inventory, acquisition, and contracting processes. They assist and participate in educational programs affiliated with institutions providing training for individuals in laboratory or other related medical fields of study.
Duties and tasks include but are not limited to the following:
- Demonstrates knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodologies of a major clinical
laboratory program and operations to assess program effectiveness and provide authoritative
guidance for operations, personnel, and management.
- Maintains skill in administrative management such as budgeting, contracting, procurement, and
property management in accordance with organizational (for example, VHA) regulations.
- Demonstrates ability to collaborate with other departments and upper management in a
medical center or health care setting or higher-level managers in regional or national offices such
as VISN-level staff and VHA Central Office staff.
- Demonstrates ability to plan and execute short- and long-range programs and/or goals through
project management and tactical/strategic planning.
- Demonstrates ability to provide advisory, planning, and surveillance services to clinicians,
laboratory directors, and supervisors on specific functions, programs, or problems that are
particularly difficult, widespread, or persistent.
- Analyzes and measures the effectiveness of budget administration. Plans and conducts studies,
analyzing findings and making recommendations on substantive laboratory budgeting.
- Executes the budget to ensure expenditures are consistent with budget formulation plans as the
fiscal year progresses. Requests funding increase to annual purchase orders as necessary.
- Monitors all aspects of fiscal allocations and commitments to ensure all administrative staff
comply with fiscal regulations to avoid unauthorized commitments.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday Full Time Tour of Duty to be determined.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact brandon.hughes2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator 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)
Telework: Available - Ad-Hoc Only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 94188-0
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/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: 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).
• 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.
• Grandfathering Provision: 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).

Grade Determinations: For all GS-14 assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the CLS at least 25% of the time. Candidates at this grade level are in one of the following assignments.
Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-14 assignments. The Laboratory Manager and shares with the chief of laboratory service/medical director full responsibility for managing and supervising all phases of laboratory service operations where at least three of the five following criteria are met outlined below in (A) - (E):
(A) The Laboratory is a complexity level index group 1 or group 2 based on the Hospital Complexity Level as designated in Office of Productivity, Efficiency, and Staffing (OPES) VHA Facility Complexity Model History.
(B) The Laboratory performs at least one million standard billable tests annually (as reported to the Laboratory Management Index Program).
(C) The CLS supervises a staff of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel including at least one GS-13 subordinate.
(D) Lack of on-site pathologist/Chief with oversight of a large staff (typically >20 employees).
(E) The CLS oversees additional services (for example, Radiology, Sterile Processing, other).
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(A) Knowledge of concepts, principles, and methodologies of a major clinical laboratory program and operations to assess program effectiveness and provide authoritative guidance for operations, personnel, and management.
(B) Skill in administrative management such as budgeting, contracting, procurement, and property management in accordance with organizational (for example, VHA) regulations.
(C) Ability to collaborate with other departments and upper management in a medical center or health care setting or higher-level managers in regional or national offices such as VISN-level staff and VHA Central Office staff.
(D) Ability to plan and execute short- and long-range programs and/or goals through project management and tactical/ strategic planning.
(E) Ability to provide advisory, planning, and surveillance services to clinicians, laboratory directors, and supervisors on specific functions, programs, or problems that are particularly difficult, widespread, or persistent.
(F) Ability to solve complex problems involving unique or controversial aspects of medical technology or laboratory management, new or unconventional methods, program changes or conflicts between scientific/technological requirements and regulatory or program requirements.
(G) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14.
Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurrent standing to perform procedures and tests, walking between different areas within the laboratory and throughout the medical center. The work involves sitting at a microscope or computer, manual dexterity, visual acuity, color vision and the ability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time. Requires intermittent moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; both hands required; intermittent but possibly prolonged stooping and kneeling; ability to read and comprehend ordinary type and computer screens; ability to hear (aid permitted) and work in an environment with constant noise; working closely with others; high cognitive function required to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities without loss of accuracy; emotional stability required to maintain self-control in difficult and stressful situations.
Education
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 C