Direct Jobs is hiring: Lead Medical Laboratory Technician - Phlebotomy/Point of

Overview

This is a Lead Medical Laboratory Technician (Lead MLT) position in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service - Blood Draw Room (BDR). Lead MLTs independently perform duties of significant scope and complexity and provide oversight for technicians and phlebotomy staff. They lead three or more lab support positions, provide direction to daily operations, and assume responsibility for integrating and monitoring standard laboratory protocols.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education: Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizations
  • American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification
  • ASCP Board of Registry
  • American Medical Technologists
  • American Association of Bioanalysts
• English Language Proficiency: MLT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: GS-7 Lead MLT – Lead MLTs independently perform duties of significant scope and complexity and assist with technician oversight
• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to GS-06, including knowledge of MLT principles, quality control, troubleshooting instrumentation, and teamwork in a laboratory setting
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Demonstrated knowledge to instruct staff, conduct laboratory procurement, provide technical oversight, plan staff training, and ensure completion of workload
• References: For more information on this qualification standard, visit the VA Qualification Standards website
• Physical Requirements: Pre-employment examination or evaluation may be required; questions about physical demands may be addressed at evaluation

Duties and Responsibilities

• Bench-Level Responsibilities: Collects and processes specimens, ensures accurate identification and preservation, maintains specimen quality through the pre-analytical process; evaluates specimen suitability and requests new ones if unusable; prepares specimens while maintaining properties
• Prioritizes ONCO, STAT, ASAP, and routine specimen collection and processing; performs specimen collection and processing independently; works as a team member
• Performs routine waived testing and quality control procedures on Point of Care (POC) instruments; maintains accurate records for quality control reports
• Ensures compliance with accreditation agencies for waived testing; recognizes POC instrument malfunctions and performs simple repairs
• Reviews, interprets, and verifies test results in the Laboratory Information System (LIS); reports significant or critical values per policy; consults with healthcare team as appropriate
• Evaluates data validity, correlates with patient data, and instructs/assists staff and students as needed
• Maintains phlebotomy supply levels and ensures proper use and disposal of supplies
• Adheres to all safety requirements and conducts work per Laboratory Safety regulations
• Leadership and Oversight: Prepares weekly staffing schedules for the BDR, Building 79, and 4C clinic; provides daily directions to staff to ensure coverage
• Oversees specimen collection workflow, resolves routine issues, and ensures adherence to protocols
• Conducts competency assessments, direct observations, and training for staff and students per CLIA, CAP, and VA standards
• Maintains training and competency records in MediaLab; coordinates ongoing training across BDR areas
• Oversees safety checks (eyewash stations, crash carts, chair inspections), CoaguChek quality control testing, CAP surveys, and troubleshooting
• Ensures accuracy of attendance records in the Blood Draw Room; documents incidents and provides workload and quality reports to the supervisor
• Assists the Ancillary Testing Coordinator with the laboratory point-of-care testing program; responsible for point-of-care testing in the BDR (e.g., CoaguChek, glucose meter, iSTAT) including reagent lot validation, QC, calibration verification, proficiency testing
• Work Schedule: Daytime hours – Monday to Friday (No weekends/No holidays)

Benefits and Schedule

• Pay: Competitive salary with regular increases; higher step rate may be determined based on qualifications
• Paid Time Off: 37–50 days per year (annual leave, sick leave, federal holidays); credit toward annual leave accrual may be available
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment
• Child Care Subsidy: Up to 25% of eligible childcare costs for eligible children under specified income limits
• Retirement and Insurance: Federal pension, 401K, health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care insurance
• Telework: Not available; Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000