Career Center

Summary

The incumbent serves as a Histopathology Technician in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. HTs at this level have a higher level of responsibility for oversight. The incumbent wiIl have the responsibiIity of performing difficuIt speciaIized histoIogicaI - histochemicaI - and immunohistochemicaI procedures as welI as deveIoping - modifying - or adapting new staining methods or techniques - and improving existing methods as necessary for routine histotechnology procedures.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Histopathology Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 - section D - paragraph 5.a. - this part
• Experience: One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provide an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician
• OR Education: 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 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 Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• Certification: None
• 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. Histopathology Technician (Advanced) Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs
• Skill in applying professional - complex anatomic pathology principles - practices - concepts - and theories in performing new or difficult specialized methods or techniques
• Ability to provide technical oversight of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement exhibiting competence in managing reagent and supply inventories and document control systems
• Ability to validate methodologies - operate anatomic pathology laboratory equipment and perform complex instrument troubleshooting
• Ability to use independent technical judgement to analyze laboratory results and resolve problems
• Preferred Experience: Experience as a histotechnician performing microtomy (Embedding and cutting)
• accessioning cases - process - prepare - cut and stain tissues from surgical procedures - bone marrows - frozen sections - and cytological specimens
• NOTE: Please annotate this experience on your resume if you have it
• 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-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is an open continuous announcement until September 30 - 2026
• Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available
• This announcement may close without advanced notice
• Major duties include but not limited to: Receives tissue samples from all submitting locations
• Determines acceptability of specimens and appropriateness of orders
• Accessions specimens - ensuring that all specimens are appropriately labeled - and all STAT specimens are handled per established policy
• As appropriate and per established procedures
• processes tissue specimens to include fixation - dehydration - embedding - sectioning - staining - and mounting onto slides for examination
• Differentiates various special stains and immunohistochemical stains
• Validates immunohistochemical and specialstain procedures
• Operates all applicable equipment - e.g. - tissue processors - microtomes - cryostats - automatic stainers and automatic coverslippers - light microscopes - balances - pH meters - and solvent distillers
• Maintains operational status of the gross room
• Assists in the preservation and preparations of Cytology specimens
• Maintains space and equipment where intraoperative frozen tissue sections are cut and reviewed by the pathologist
• Assists pathologist with setting up frozen sections - cutting - and overall management of tissue flow when multiple frozen sections are received
• Disposes of human tissue per established procedures
• Appropriately files tissue blocks and slides per established procedures
• Follows all established safety protocols and procedures
• Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm
• Tour is subject to change based on agency need
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 59154F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.