Cytotechnologist

Summary

Cytotechnologists within the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center are certified laboratory professionals performing highly complex laboratory diagnostic testing on human specimens for diagnosis - treatment - or prevention of disease in the laboratory specialty of cytopathology.

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.

• To qualify for appointment to this position - all applicants must possess the following:
  United States Citizenship:
  Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education-Transcript Submitted
• Individuals must have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university and successfully completed a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accredited cytotechnology program
• Licensure-Documentation Submitted
• Full - current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State - Territory - Commonwealth of the United States (i.e.
  
  - Puerto Rico) - or the District of Columbia
• The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full - current - and unrestricted licensure
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Certification--Documentation Submitted
• Candidates must currently possess the Cytotechnologist (CT) (ASCP) or Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) (ASCP) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• Loss of Certification
• An employee who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation - which may also result in termination of employment
• Grandfathering Provision
• All cytotechnologists employed in VHA - in this occupational series - performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard - are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• Cytotechnologists that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance level - or demoted within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Cytotechnologists 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
• Cytotechnologists initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard - must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Cytotechnologists who were retained in this occupation - under this provision - and subsequently leave the occupation - lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement
• Cytotechnologist - GS-11
  
  Experience
• The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-9) that is directly related to the position to be filled
• Knowledge
  - Skills and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs:
  Ability to independently determine specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound - Endobronchial Ultrasound - and…