Summary

This position is located in the Transfusion Services Laboratory (TSL), within the Laboratory Services Section of the Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM) with the Clinical Center.

The Transfusion Services Laboratory (blood bank) addresses the diverse needs at NIH by offering specialized and technically demanding serologic and molecular procedures for clinical diagnostic transfusion support and research purposes.

Duties

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The NIH Clinical Center Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM) located in Bethesda, MD is hiring for four Clinical Laboratory Scientists.

As a GS-0644-09/11 Clinical Laboratory Scientist, your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Receive, evaluate, and process clinical immunohematology specimens, ensuring specimen integrity prior to testing.
• Perform compatibility testing of donor and patient-recipient samples and use automated and manual methods to resolve moderately complex antibody problems.
• Use laboratory computer applications to record test results, document equipment maintenance, label blood components, and track the final disposition of blood components.
• Manufacture and process whole blood and blood components, including applying pathogen-reduction technology as appropriate.
• Review donor testing results, label blood components in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices and regulatory requirements, and monitor reagent and blood inventories to maintain adequate supply levels.
• Perform quality assurance functions, evaluate new procedures for accuracy and clinical suitability, identify and report deficiencies, recommend corrective actions, and train assigned personnel in laboratory procedures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
• Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements within thirty (30) calendar days of the closing date of this announcement, including time in grade.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Based on your appointment, a one or two-year trial/probationary period may be required. A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period.
• The position requires Education; please provide transcripts.
• Physical Requirement: Requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing and walking, bending over instruments and microscopes, and lifting light to moderately heavy items such as reagent packs and various supplies.
• The work environment involves regular and recurring exposure to infectious agents such as hepatitis, HIV and to noxious and flammable liquids such as xylene and formalin.
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist are required to use protective clothing such as lab coats, goggles, gloves, and must follow all Universal Safety precautions. Technologists work in a Biohazard Level 2 facility.
• This position has been designated as a Tier I emergency employee. See Additional Information section for specific details on this designation.
• Selectee must be able to pass a pre-employment examination.
• These positions may require a work schedule that includes nights, rotational shifts, and weekends.
• The pay range for each grade is as follows in Montgomery County, MD:
  The pay range for the GS-9 is $70,623 - $91,815
  The pay range for the GS-11 is $85,447 - $111,087

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

Education

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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 1 or 2 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.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for the GS-09 position:

You must have completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree that is directly related to the duties of this position.

OR

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following tasks: 1) reviewing and evaluating clinical laboratory procedures and recognizing problems such as interfering substances and new organisms; 2) performing specialized and technically demanding analytical procedures for diagnostic and research purposes; 3) performing immunohematology testing, such as blood group typing, direct antiglobulin testing, antibody screening and identification, and Red Blood Cell phenotyping; 4) performing advanced blood bank testing, such as elutions, crossmatches, and isohemagglutinin titers; and 5) recognizing laboratory deficiencies, proposing solutions, and participating in laboratory proficiency testing programs.

OR

You must have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

To qualify for the GS-11 position:

You must have completed three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctorate degree that is directly related to the duties of this position.

OR

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following tasks: 1) performing specialized and technically demanding immunohematology procedures for diagnostic and research purposes, such as blood group typing, direct antiglobulin testing, antibody screening and identification, Red Blood Cell phenotyping, elutions, crossmatches, and isohemagglutinin titers; 2) identifying and addressing issues in laboratory testing that may affect results, such as interfering substances, disease conditions, limitations of test procedures, or other problems in the test system; 3) applying good manufacturing practices (GMP) in the further manufacture of blood components; 4) operating and maintaining complex clinical laboratory processes and instruments; and 5) creating and updating written standard operating procedures and training laboratory personnel in laboratory procedures.

OR

You must have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings with the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer.

Preview application questionnaire before you apply:

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. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

Additional information

• PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should apply online to this announcement to receive consideration.
• Visit Help Applying for helpful information on the application process.
• NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need and budget limitations.
• A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
• Military Spouses selected from this announcement will remain in their current duty location (i.e., the official duty station of the military service member.
• If selected, you may be eligible to receive a salary above the minimum based on superior qualifications and/or a special need of the Government for your services. This applies to employees paid under the General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS) pay systems and is at the discretion of the hiring manager. A salary above the minimum must be approved before the appointment.
• Veterans' Preference only applies to Schedule A (disability appointment), HHS Reemployment Priority List (RPL) Eligibles, HHS Priority Reemployment List (PRL) Eligibles, and Veterans Recruitment Appointments (if applicable).
• This position is designated as an "emergency essential" position and the selected candidate will be considered an "emergency essential" employee and will be required to be available, ready, willing, and able to report for duty under all circumstances (e.g., inclement weather, government closings and holidays, lapses in appropriations, non-emergency and emergency situations) for operation 24 hours a day and 365 days per year coverage.