Histopathology Technician at Orange

JOB SUMMARY:

Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 933559

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincolns promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are Americas Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

SpecialEmployment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, includingthose eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e.,intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities],and/or Disabledveterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact theAgency Contact on the last page of the JOA for information on how to apply underthis appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• Must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• Must be a current/permanent Veteran Affairs employee.

DUTIES:Back to top

The incumbent serves as a Histopathology Technician in the Histopathology section of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at VA NJHCS, East Orange Campus. The incumbent performs all routine and special procedures required by the staff pathologists in order to make accurate and timely diagnosis. These may include but are not limited to: performing specially requested tests for examination by the pathologist, collecting surgical and cytology specimens needed for patient diagnosis by pathologist, working with laboratory specific equipment, and processing samples from any part of the body.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, Hours are Varied

Position Description Title/PD#: Histopathology Technician, 8340-O  
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement Friday, August 16, 2013

Time-in-grade: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-06) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working in a laboratory environment assisting a pathologist, examining samples/strains/specimens, preparing routine stains of samples for pathologist review, manipulating pH solutions for use in staining procedures, utilizing computer equipment to upload/review/maintain data logs, and using laboratory specific tools and equipment.

OR  

Applicants may substitute education for the required specialized experience.  1 year of graduate education is qualifying for the GS-7 level.   Graduate education meets the specialized experience for the GS-7 level only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position.

OR

Applicantsmay also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07 level.  To calculate, first identify the percentage of required educationyou have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hoursthat you earned).  Then identify the percentage of required experience youpossess.  Add the two percentages.  The total percentage must equalat least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example, an applicantwho has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduateeducation required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50%of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for theposition 

A transcript must be submitted with yourapplication if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 

You will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics (KSAOs) based on your application for this position.

• Ability to process tissues either manually or mechanically through fixation, dehydration and infiltration.
• Ability to perform special stains and special immunoperoxidase procedures as needed for diagnostic clarification.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining control slides ensuring accuracy and completeness of testing.
• Ability to log all related data accurately into computer for record keeping and physician information.
• Skill in maintaining applicable equipment, tools, and accessories.
• Ability to prepare various samples for pathological examination including but not limited to frozen sections and MOHS tissue sections.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, such as standing for long periods of time, bending over microscopes and microtomes, etc. 
Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring risks or discomforts associated with working in a clinical and anatomic laboratory, i.e., working with infectious tissue samples, hazardous chemicals and fumes, such as alcohol, xylene, fonnalin and acids. The technician utilizes a fume hood when utilizing these substances. The technician wears protective clothing, such as coats, masks, goggles or gloves and takes extreme safety precautions in handling fresh and fixed specimens, and in using scalpels and microtome knives.

Veterans Preference:  When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of your DD214(s ) and/or documentation related to your active duty service which shows dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation.

Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.  For more information, please review the information for disabled Veterans in the application checklist or visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Country: USA, State: New Jersey, City: Orange, Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.