This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more 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. Experience and Education (1) Experience. One year of experience in a health care field that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work such as but not limited to a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) or health technician. Grade Determinations: Histopathology Technician, GS-7 (Advanced) (1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (2) Assignment. Histopathology technicians at this level generally have a higher level of responsibility for technical oversight, and are expected to carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty independently. The incumbent will have the responsibility of performing difficult specialized histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical procedures, as well as developing, modifying, or adapting new staining methods or techniques, improving existing methods as necessary for routine histotechnology procedures. The technician will be responsible for troubleshooting issues with instruments and resolving problems. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. (a) Skill in applying professional, complex anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts, and theories in performing new or difficult specialized testing methods or techniques. (b) 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. (c) Ability to validate methodologies, operate anatomic pathology laboratory equipment and perform complex instrument troubleshooting. (d) Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and evaluate laboratory results and resolve problems. References: VA Handbook 5005/102, Part II, Appendix G55 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-07. Physical Requirements: Sitting for above average periods of time, light to moderate lifting and carrying, straight pulling and/or pushing, walking and/or standing, repeated bending and/or reaching above the shoulders, use of both legs, both hands and fingers, fine motor skills, ability to for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, ability to see in both eyes, such as depth perception is required, hand-eye coordination, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors, hearing (aid permitted), multiple repetitive motion activities and the hands, wrists, and arms. ["The Histopathology Technician serves as a specialized technician in the Anatomic Pathology (AP) section (Histology/Cytology) of the John D. Dingell VAMC- Detroit, MI. In addition to a working knowledge of histotechnology and cytotechnology procedures, the position requires computer literacy, knowledge of computer-based anatomic pathology equipment and quality assurance/quality control procedures and operations. The Histopathology Technician (GS-0646-07) must be able to function independently in multiple areas of the Anatomic Pathology laboratory, including histopathology, cytopathology, immunohistochemistry, special stains and the autopsy suite (Morgue). The duties and responsibilities of the Histopathology Technician (GS-0646-07) include but are not limited to:\n- The ability to use independent technical judgement to perform their duties.\n-The ability to use independent technical judgement for analysis, evaluation and problem resolution.\n- The ability to apply difficult complex anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts and theories, as they pertain to:\n- Quality control and assurance procedures\n- Performance improvement principles\n- Reagent and supply management\n- Document control and workload recording systems\n- Human anatomy\n- Specialized testing methods and techniques\n- Following standard operating procedures (SOP) and/or seeking guidance to reconcile any discrepancies, as needed.\n- Applying established routine and complex histotechnology and cytotechnology techniques such as processing, embedding, cutting, staining and coverslipping to prepare and distribute technically adequate slides of surgical, cytology and autopsy specimens for analysis.\n- Performs specialized complex Anatomic Pathology procedures to include:\n-Immunohistochemistry antibody, reagent and control verification.\n- Special stain reagent and control verification.\n- Chemical viability evaluation and testing\n-Improving, developing, modifying, adapting and validating current and/or new methodologies.\n- Performs technical oversight of quality control procedures, to include troubleshooting and problem resolution, on equipment, reagents and products while keeping proper records for quality assurance and quality control reports.\n- Using established procedures, performs preventative maintenance on instruments and equipment while verifying correct operation. Identifies the cause of problems and makes complex instrument repairs, as needed.\n- Using specialized techniques for handling frozen section, bone marrow, autopsy, cell block and fine-needle biopsy specimens. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]