CHEMIST

Duties

This Chemist position is in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PALMS) of the VA Midwest Health Care Network located in Minneapolis, MN.  The Chemist will direct the operations of the Core Laboratory, Special Diagnostics Laboratory and Ancillary Testing Program; will direct medical technologists; consult with physicians and other medical providers within the medical center and VISN 23 regarding the selection and interpretation of laboratory tests; establish, approve and implement standard operating procedures for testing platforms; validate methodology and determine interferences for laboratory tests; select appropriate instrumentation for the clinical laboratory; work with the Chief, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service to determine appropriate budget allocations; responsible for ensuring SAMHSA (NIDA) accreditation is maintained; researches literature and develops analytical drug testing procedures; ensure testing personnel are adequately trained, document training and review work performance; oversee quality assurance program; implement remedial actions as necessary; provide testimony on behalf of the VA; comply with federal confidentiality regulations and other related duties.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.

Financial disclosure not required.

Qualifications

A Recruitment Incentive is authorized for qualified candidates for this this position.

A Quality Ranking Factor* has 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: "Completed a COMACC (Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry) approved 2 year post-doctoral clinical chemistry and toxicology fellowship by July 2017"
*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.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:  a bachelors or higher degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics. Transcript is required.
OR
A combination of education and experience, course work equivalent to a major as shown in the question above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Your resume must document your experience and transcript is required.
AND
REQUIRES: One year of specialized experience that has equipped you 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-12. Specialized experience is: evaluating different testing platforms for reliability, accuracy and cost effectiveness; recognizing interferences and troubleshooting drug-testing platforms in a toxicology laboratory; knowledge of quality improvement, quality assurance and accreditation standards; providing clinical consultation to medical colleagues in the selection and interpretation of clinical tests and the significance of positive drug tests. Your experience must be documented in your resume.