U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Histopathology Technician (Advanced)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Histopathology Technician (Advanced)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
San Francisco, CA
Pay Range :
$62,456 – $81,198
per year (base).
Summary The 2‑page resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. The position is located within the San Francisco VA Medical Center and reports to the Histopathology/Cytopathology section of the Pathology and Laboratory Department. The Histopathology Technician serves as the point of contact or technical expert and advisor to laboratory and professional medical staff in the specialty of surgical pathology and cytology.
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.
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.
Experience and Education (1) Experience
One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician.
OR (2) Education
(a) Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry.
(b) Successful completion of two academic years of study above high school that included at least 24 semester hours in Chemistry and/or in appropriate fields of biological science and successful completion of a 12‑month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology.
OR (3) Experience/Education Combination
(a) Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as biological science – surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position, or an associate's degree in a health care related field.
(b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians – hospital corpsmen – medical service specialists – or histopathology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces.
Certification: None.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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: GS‑7 – one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
Apply professional, complex anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts, and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques.
Provide technical oversight of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and manage reagent and supply inventories and document control systems.
Validate methodologies, operate anatomic pathology laboratory equipment, and perform complex instrument troubleshooting.
Use independent technical judgment to analyze and evaluate laboratory results and resolve problems.
Preferred Experience: Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry, or the successful completion of a 12‑month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 – Employee Occupational Health Service.
Duties
PROCESSING SURGICAL – CYTOLOGY AND AUTOPSY SPECIMENS
Receives all requests and specimens for testing into the pathology laboratory.
Verifies accuracy and completeness of the request and proper sample collection, labeling, and transport requirements.
Ensures two unique patient identifiers are on each sample.
Evaluates, accepts or rejects specimens, using proficiency in recognizing tissue from any part of the body and identifies discrepancies that may cause erroneous results or require special handling.
Makes sound decisions independently and takes appropriate action to correct and solve problems.
Interacts with supervisor and hospital personnel to correct discrepancies.
RECORDING AND PREPARATION
Records patient and specimen data into the computer system using two unique patient identifiers.
Prepares specimens for tissue examination and performs dissection and gross examination of biopsies and simple anatomical specimens.
Processes surgical – cytology and autopsy tissue specimens through fixation, dehydration, clearing, infiltration, embedding, microtomy, staining, and cover slipping.
Recognizes improperly processed tissue and takes corrective action.
Sections paraffin blocks of tissue and mounts paraffin sections on slides.
Sections are cut at proper thickness (2–5 microns) according to tissue type or as required for special staining procedures.
Stains routine slides using computerized strainers with hematoxylin and eosin for studying nuclear and cytoplasmic details of tissues.
Operates equipment such as microscopes, centrifuges, cassette labeler, thin‑prep cytology processor, microtomes, tissue processor, cryostat, embedding center, and stainers.
Calibrates, performs preventive maintenance, and records required function checks.
Reports needed repairs to biomedical engineer.
Maintains inventory of stains, supplies, and reagents used in histopathology and orders laboratory supplies.
Maintains work records including temperature records, preventive maintenance records, etc.
Maintains a safe, clean, and professional work area and is responsible for safe work practices of the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory to assure compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements.
Assists in training personnel – newer staff and students in laboratory safety and laboratory policies and procedures.
Participates in the Quality and Performance Improvement plan for Anatomic Pathology.
Monitors specimens, reagents, equipment, and the environment for contamination and assists in decontamination and safe handling and disposal of chemicals.
Prepares and ships specimens required for consultation or to reference laboratories.
Complies with all regulatory agencies such as CAP, JCAHO, OSHA and VA guidelines.
FROZEN SECTION COVERAGE
Performs procedures in the frozen section laboratory.
Orients, cuts, and stains any specimens submitted for intra‑operative consultations – including minute biopsies for rapid diagnosis by the pathologist with no margin for error.
Prepares quality frozen sections per accrediting agency guidelines to provide rapid diagnosis in surgical cases.
MAINTAINING REPORTS – RECORDS AND MATERIALS
Performs established quality control and quality assurance procedures to check the accuracy and validity of work.
Records information daily.
Identifies unusual discrepancies/conditions that may cause erroneous results.
Daily records temperature charts of refrigerators, water baths, rooms, equipment.
Maintains inventory of supplies and reagents.
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Seniority Level Mid-Senior level
Employment Type Full-time
Job Function Health Care Provider – Government Administration
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by 2x.
Get notified about new Pathologist Assistant jobs in San Francisco, CA.
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San Francisco, CA
Pay Range :
$62,456 – $81,198
per year (base).
Summary The 2‑page resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. The position is located within the San Francisco VA Medical Center and reports to the Histopathology/Cytopathology section of the Pathology and Laboratory Department. The Histopathology Technician serves as the point of contact or technical expert and advisor to laboratory and professional medical staff in the specialty of surgical pathology and cytology.
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.
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.
Experience and Education (1) Experience
One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician.
OR (2) Education
(a) Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry.
(b) Successful completion of two academic years of study above high school that included at least 24 semester hours in Chemistry and/or in appropriate fields of biological science and successful completion of a 12‑month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology.
OR (3) Experience/Education Combination
(a) Six months of experience in the health care field and two years of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health care related courses such as biological science – surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position, or an associate's degree in a health care related field.
(b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians – hospital corpsmen – medical service specialists – or histopathology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces.
Certification: None.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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: GS‑7 – one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
Apply professional, complex anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts, and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques.
Provide technical oversight of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and manage reagent and supply inventories and document control systems.
Validate methodologies, operate anatomic pathology laboratory equipment, and perform complex instrument troubleshooting.
Use independent technical judgment to analyze and evaluate laboratory results and resolve problems.
Preferred Experience: Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation such as biological science or chemistry, or the successful completion of a 12‑month program of education and training in histopathology or cytotechnology.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 – Employee Occupational Health Service.
Duties
PROCESSING SURGICAL – CYTOLOGY AND AUTOPSY SPECIMENS
Receives all requests and specimens for testing into the pathology laboratory.
Verifies accuracy and completeness of the request and proper sample collection, labeling, and transport requirements.
Ensures two unique patient identifiers are on each sample.
Evaluates, accepts or rejects specimens, using proficiency in recognizing tissue from any part of the body and identifies discrepancies that may cause erroneous results or require special handling.
Makes sound decisions independently and takes appropriate action to correct and solve problems.
Interacts with supervisor and hospital personnel to correct discrepancies.
RECORDING AND PREPARATION
Records patient and specimen data into the computer system using two unique patient identifiers.
Prepares specimens for tissue examination and performs dissection and gross examination of biopsies and simple anatomical specimens.
Processes surgical – cytology and autopsy tissue specimens through fixation, dehydration, clearing, infiltration, embedding, microtomy, staining, and cover slipping.
Recognizes improperly processed tissue and takes corrective action.
Sections paraffin blocks of tissue and mounts paraffin sections on slides.
Sections are cut at proper thickness (2–5 microns) according to tissue type or as required for special staining procedures.
Stains routine slides using computerized strainers with hematoxylin and eosin for studying nuclear and cytoplasmic details of tissues.
Operates equipment such as microscopes, centrifuges, cassette labeler, thin‑prep cytology processor, microtomes, tissue processor, cryostat, embedding center, and stainers.
Calibrates, performs preventive maintenance, and records required function checks.
Reports needed repairs to biomedical engineer.
Maintains inventory of stains, supplies, and reagents used in histopathology and orders laboratory supplies.
Maintains work records including temperature records, preventive maintenance records, etc.
Maintains a safe, clean, and professional work area and is responsible for safe work practices of the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory to assure compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements.
Assists in training personnel – newer staff and students in laboratory safety and laboratory policies and procedures.
Participates in the Quality and Performance Improvement plan for Anatomic Pathology.
Monitors specimens, reagents, equipment, and the environment for contamination and assists in decontamination and safe handling and disposal of chemicals.
Prepares and ships specimens required for consultation or to reference laboratories.
Complies with all regulatory agencies such as CAP, JCAHO, OSHA and VA guidelines.
FROZEN SECTION COVERAGE
Performs procedures in the frozen section laboratory.
Orients, cuts, and stains any specimens submitted for intra‑operative consultations – including minute biopsies for rapid diagnosis by the pathologist with no margin for error.
Prepares quality frozen sections per accrediting agency guidelines to provide rapid diagnosis in surgical cases.
MAINTAINING REPORTS – RECORDS AND MATERIALS
Performs established quality control and quality assurance procedures to check the accuracy and validity of work.
Records information daily.
Identifies unusual discrepancies/conditions that may cause erroneous results.
Daily records temperature charts of refrigerators, water baths, rooms, equipment.
Maintains inventory of supplies and reagents.
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Seniority Level Mid-Senior level
Employment Type Full-time
Job Function Health Care Provider – Government Administration
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by 2x.
Get notified about new Pathologist Assistant jobs in San Francisco, CA.
#J-18808-Ljbffr