Recent Listing

Posted: January 5, 2026 (9 days ago)

This job has been posted for 1-2 weeks. Still a good time to apply.

Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Recent

Location

Salary

$120,832 - $157,083

per year

Closes

January 14, 2026

GS-13 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $88,520 - $115,079

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-12. Expert-level knowledge in field.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves leading a team of lab scientists in a Veterans Affairs hospital, overseeing daily operations, ensuring quality standards, and managing budgets and staff in a clinical lab setting.

It's ideal for an experienced lab professional who enjoys supervising others, solving operational challenges, and staying updated on regulations.

Candidates with strong leadership skills and a background in healthcare labs would thrive here.

Key Requirements

  • U.S. citizenship (or specific exceptions) and proficiency in spoken and written English
  • Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
  • Certification as MLS, MT, or categorical/specialist by ASCP or AMT (generalist preferred for this role)
  • One year of creditable experience at GS-12 level or equivalent
  • Knowledge of federal/state laws, lab regulations, and quality management principles
  • Supervisory skills including staff assignment, performance evaluations, and conflict resolution
  • Ability to manage budgets, forecast resources, and solve organizational problems

Full Job Description

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.

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. English Language Proficiency.

Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f). Education. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

Certification. (1) Candidates must meet one of the certification options below. Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT. Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.

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).

Grade Determinations: Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Scientist, GS-13 Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-13 assignments.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (A) Knowledge of Federal and state laws and regulations, laboratory accrediting, and regulatory requirements to develop new policies and guidelines, formulate plans, and judge effectiveness of the operation.

(B) Knowledge of laboratory quality management procedures and principles sufficient to establish and monitor a laboratory quality management program and/or the education and training of laboratory staff.

(C) Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.

(D) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluations, selection of staff, recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

(E) Ability to analyze organizational, technical, and administrative problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient laboratory operation.

(F) Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.

(G) Ability to set short and/or long-term goals for the section and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

Preferred Experience: Experience working with the current CBOC laboratory instrumentation.

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-13.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position.

May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing.

May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties of the Supervisory Clinical Laboratory Specialist include, but are not limited to: Develops methods for achieving work goals, objectives, and management strategies.

Day-to-day supervision of highly complex test performance. Monitors test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance.

Assures corrective action is initiated when test performance deviates from established performance specifications. Implements and monitors quality management activities.

Manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements and is responsible for technical and administrative management of an assigned area including budget execution.

Interacts with administrative and clinical onsite personnel and exercises significant independent decision-making authority.

Maintains effective interdisciplinary and interprofessional relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals. Rotates through multiple departments in the laboratory.

Maintains and updates technical policies and procedure manuals.

Ensures compliance with accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements and establishes and monitors the quality of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes, initiating corrective actions as needed as part of the overall laboratory quality management program.

Plans and executes performance and quality improvement projects. Performs a full range of supervisory duties including, but not limited to: Plans and schedules on-going work.

Assures orientation, training, and competency assessment of staff. Recommends appointments, awards, advancement, and disciplinary actions.

Ensures all staff and affiliate staff comply with accrediting and regulating bodies. Adjusts staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at the executive level.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am-3:30pm, with weekends and holidays, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact Lashala.Goodman@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

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) 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: Ad-hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 598-01160F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

Browse Similar Jobs

Posted on USAJOBS: 1/5/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/6/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CBST-12858305-26-AB