Summary

This position serves as histopathology technician in the MOHs surgery lab in the Dermatology Service for the VA Puget Sound Health Care System at the Seattle VA Medical Center.

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. To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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
• Individuals must meet one of the requirements below: Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university - leading to a bachelor's or higher degree - that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist - such as - but not limited to clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• OR - Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both)
• OR - Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education - leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree - with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist - such as clinical biology - microbiology - physiology - pre-medical - medical lab technology - chemistry - immunology - physiology - anatomy
• 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
• Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification
• The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered "board eligible" to take the certification exam: Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS)
• OR - One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation - embedding - microtomy - processing - and staining in a histopathology (clinical - veterinary - industry - or research) laboratory Exception for Non-Board Certified: Non-board-certified candidates designated by ASCP as "board eligible -" who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements - may be given a temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B)
• The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a histopathology technologist working under the direct oversight of a supervisor - lab manager - or qualified individual who can verify technical experience
• This exception only applies at the entry level
• For grade levels at or above the full performance level - the candidate must have HTL certification
• Temporary appointments of non-board-certified histopathology technologists may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment
• Failure to Obtain Certification
• In all cases - non-board-certified histopathology technologists must meet one of the ASCP histotechnologist eligibility routes at the date of their appointment and must actively pursue certification from the date of their appointment
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor will provide the histopathology technologist with the written requirement to obtain certification - the date by which the certification must be acquired - and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline
• Failure to obtain board certification by the prescribed date will result in removal from the histopathology technologist - GS-0601 occupational series and may result in termination of employment
• English Language Proficiency
• Histopathology Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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: Histopathology Technologist - GS-7 Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Histopathology Technologist - GS-9 Experience
• Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be filled
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and inter-connectivity
• Knowledge of histopathology techniques - chemistry - anatomy and physiology principles - theories - concepts - and methodologies sufficient to process specimens - and the ability to perform a full range of routine specialized tests
• Ability to identify and test suboptimal specimens and take corrective action to minimize or eliminate impact on a patient's sample
• Ability to organize - coordinate - and prioritize simultaneous work assignments
• both individual and team related
• Skill in applying professional - anatomic pathology principles - practices - concepts - and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques
• Histopathology Technologist - GS-11 Education and Experience
• Must meet one of the following: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level - which is directly related to the position to be filled
• or Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education that included a clinical practicum
• or A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in histopathology technology or a directly related field that included a clinical practicum
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate KSAs (a)-(f) and additional KSAs based on the specific duties assigned: (a) Knowledge of histopathology techniques - chemistry - anatomy and physiology principles - theories - concepts - and methodologies sufficient to process specimens and perform a full range of routine and specialized tests
• (b) Knowledge of the operation and maintenance of the instrumentation necessary to prepare specimens for diagnosis
• (c) Skill in applying professional - complex anatomic pathology principles - practices - concepts - and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques
• (d) Ability to identify and test suboptimal specimens and take corrective action to minimize or eliminate the impact on patient's sample
• (e) Ability to organize - coordinate - and prioritize simultaneous work assignments - both individual and team related
• (f) Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and inter-connectivity
• (g) *Skill in performing detailed Mohs procedures
• eg: : Performing color mapping - embedding with precise orientation - cryostat sectioning - and staining of all types of Mohs specimens under the direction of the Mohs surgeon.

Duties

• Examines and describes - using dictating equipment - gross surgical specimens - noting size - color - consistency and anatomic orientation - identifying abnormalities and removing appropriate tissue samples for microscopic examination and diagnosis
• Maintains constant surveillance over work to assure proper processing of tissue specimens - especially those requiring special handling (e.g
• immunofluorescence - special histological staining or techniques - etc.) - independently evaluating the acceptability of submitted material and - acting for the Chief - Anatomic pathology Service - returning unacceptable specimens - with explanation - to the contributor
• Prepares frozen sections for the Pathologist to include gross description - cryostat sectioning and staining of glass slides
• Processes all cytological specimens: Prepares smears - cellblocks and special stains
• Assists the Pathologist with Fine Needle Aspirations
• Embeds tissue with proper orientation in a variety of media
• Utilizes a microtome or cryostat to section embedded tissue
• Determines the appropriate number of levels to cut for the type of embedded specimen
• Determines which special stain is required to demonstrate tissue elements and properties (e.g
• Congo Red for amyloid or Fontana-Masson for melanin)
• Performs microscopic evaluation of stains for acceptability of stain reaction through the utilization of positive and negative quality control
• Performs complex immunohistochemical procedures and staining
• Provides guidance to pathologists and residents regarding immunohistochemical antibodies and their specificities
• Directly interacts with surgeons in justifying excision specimen orientation - mapping - dissection - preparation - processing and diagnosis
• Responsibilities during the surgical procedure will include dissection and orientation of the skin tumor tissue removed from patients in the MOHs surgery clinic - preparation and staining of frozen sections - microscopic evaluation of the adequacy of frozen sections for viewing surgical margins - adjustments to the sectioning procedure and trimming tissue for optimal evaluation
• Post-surgical duties include photographing and archiving microscopic images - archiving slides and accessioning and processing tissue for examination by a PLMS pathologist
• Monitors and troubleshoots the Histology laboratory information system
• Temporary assignment as the CERNER/EHRM coordinator for Anatomic Pathology Work Schedule: 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 41647-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized