Histopathology Technologist

The duties of this Histopathology Technologist include but are not limited to:

• Receiving and/or obtaining specimens using appropriate techniques maintaining proper identification.
• Performing all elements of gross examination and sectioning of all types of surgical pathology specimens.
• Preparing specimens for analysis according to the specifications of the procedure.
• Handling all types of human tissue which may include receiving checking accepting timing logging storing and/or shipping if necessary.
• Providing technical guidance to ensure all tissues are properly oriented when embedding them according to established procedures and depending on the type of specimen being prepared (e.g. shave biopsies on edge; core biopsies to demonstrate the maximum amount of tissue).
• Assessing and preparing all cytological specimens including sputa body secretions fluids Thin-Preps and fine needle aspirates.
• Exercising all required safety guidelines and works with great care in handling the specimens and uses personal protective equipment including face shields goggles masks gloves aprons and laboratory coats.
• Preparing frozen tissue sections for special immunological studies which includes selecting freezing cutting (microtomy) and staining tissue for rush/stat (Frozen Section) exam by the Pathologist.
• Teaching and training other laboratory personnel to perform cutting and staining techniques as it pertains to the scope of the Histology Department.
• Maintaining QA files of blocks and slides needed to perform special stains in the laboratory.
• Performing complex stains and procedures including but not limited to special pretreatment procedures and frozen section microtomy.
• Troubleshooting and correcting problems with these procedures and maintains records and QA data as necessary.
• Performing SNOMED code searches of the VISTA database to identify blocks and tissues from cases to be used as positive controls for staining procedures.
• Recognizing origin and type of tissues and properly orients and cuts small simple or complex specimens choosing appropriate microtome knives and section thickness.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 6:00am-2:30pm or as deemed appropriate by leadership
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F06481
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Compressed/Flexible:May be authorized at supervisor discretion.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave 13 days of sick leave 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth adoption or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment full time employees with a total family income below $144000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Notifications:

• This position is covered by the OPM General Schedule locality salary rate.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title series grade step tenure and type of service (competitive or excepted). In some cases more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Due to a critical staffing shortage 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference for this job announcement.
• Selectee will be required to complete additional forms to proceed with employment process.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

Education:
Individuals must meet one of the requirements below:

• Successful completion of a full four-year course of study from an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree that included a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a histopathology technologist such as but not limited to clinical biology microbiology physiology pre-medical medical lab technology chemistry immunology physiology anatomy;

OR

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of biology and chemistry (must include credit hours in both);

OR

• Successful completion of two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in an academic field related to health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the position of histopathology technologist such as clinical biology microbiology physiology pre-medical medical lab technology chemistry immunology physiology anatomy.

Foreign Education:
To be creditable education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

Certification:
Candidates must currently possess the histotechnologist (HTL) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification. The ASCP requires completion of one of the following for a candidate to be considered board eligible to take the certification exam:

• Successful completion of a histotechnician or histotechnology program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS);

OR

• One year of full time experience in all of the following: fixation embedding microtomy processing and staining in a histopathology (clinical veterinary industry or research) laboratory.

Exception for Non-Board Certified:
Non-board-certified candidates designated by ASCP as board eligible who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a histopathology technologist working under the direct oversight of a supervisor lab manager or qualified individual who can verify technical experience. This exception only applies at the entry level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must have HTL certification. Temporary appointments of non-board-certified histopathology technologists may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.

Failure to Obtain Certification:
In all cases non-board-certified histopathology technologists must meet one of the ASCP histotechnologist eligibility routes at the date of their appointment and must actively pursue certification from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment the supervisor will provide the histopathology technologist with the written requirement to obtain certification the date by which the certification must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain board certification by the prescribed date will result in removal from the histopathology technologist GS-0601 occupational series and may result in termination of employment.

Loss of Certification:
Employees who fail to maintain the required certification must be removed from the histopathology technologist GS-0601 occupation which may result in termination of employment.

Grandfathering Provision:
All histopathology technologists employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series who perform the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position the following provisions apply:

• Histopathology technologists who do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned promoted up to and including the full performance level or demoted within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in a supervisory or managerial position.
• Histopathology technologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or receive a new appointment on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Histopathology technologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• If histopathology technologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation then those employees lose grandfathered protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the histopathology technologist occupation in this series.

GS-9 Histopathology Technologist:

Experience
Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level which is directly related to Histopathology Technology.

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities.
In addition to the experience or education above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and inter-connectivity.
• Knowledge of histopathology techniques chemistry anatomy and physiology principles theories concepts and methodologies sufficient to process specimens and the ability to perform a full range of routine specialized tests.
• Ability to identify and test suboptimal specimens and take corrective action to minimize or eliminate impact on a patients sample.
• Ability to organize coordinate and prioritize simultaneous work assignments; both individual and team related.
• Skill in applying professional anatomic pathology principles practices concepts and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques.

References: VA Handbook 5005/118 Part II Appendix G65

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.