Pathology Specialist

Employee will serve as a Pathology Specialist within the Pathology and Laboratory Department located at the VA Boston Healthcare System in West Roxbury, MA.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the following qualification requirements. BASIC EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Requires Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained. AND GS-9 grade Minimum Qualification Requirements: EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes providing technical and administrative assistance of pathology grossing areas, frozen section areas and an autopsy suite; serving as technical consultant and advisor to pathologists, laboratory managers/supervisors, medical staff (both local and external) regarding policies, procedures, and practices related to anatomic pathology. OR EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree with major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. OR COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of one full year of graduate education may be combined with experience. GS-11 grade Minimum Qualification Requirements: EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes coordinating surgical pathology functions, working independently to perform these high complexity functions, or in collaboration with the pathologists; performing work in the grossing areas, frozen section areas and autopsy suite to ensure proper processing of tissue samples, especially those requiring special handling; monitoring workflow, designing and implementing new processes and procedures, evaluating outcomes and implementing improvements. OR EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR COMBINATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of two full years may be combined with experience. A Quality Ranking Factor* has also been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for a position. The quality ranking factor for this position is: Highly qualified candidates are ASCP Certified (American Society for Clinical Pathology). (A copy of your Valid certification is required at time of application submission to receive credit) *Quality Ranking Factors are skills, knowledge, abilities, or other worker characteristics which could be expected to result in superior performance on the job. Quality ranking factors will not be used for screening but may be used as ranking criteria. Applicants with higher proficiency levels may rank above those with lower proficiency levels on a quality ranking factor. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Communications Diagnostic Medical Testing Infection Control Quality Management Quality Ranking Factor IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work requires long periods of standing, bending over instruments, counters, and tables (cryostat, autopsy table, cutting benches), as well as heavy lifting (bodies; supplies). The work procedure requires manual dexterity and depth perception for determining depth and angles of cuts into human tissues. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.