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Foreign Service Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist (RMLS)

U.S. Department of State
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Duties

 

The Bureau of Medical Services (MED) in the Department of State maintains and promotes the health and well-being of America’s diplomatic community who represent a wide range of United States government agencies abroad. The Department assigns Foreign Service Regional Medical Laboratory Scientists (RMLS), Regional Medical Officers (RMOs), Regional Medical Officer Psychiatrists (RMOPs), and Medical Providers (MPs) to selected posts overseas. Many of these posts have significant health risks and local medical care that is inadequate by U.S. standards.

The Foreign Service Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist (RMLS) performs a wide variety of tests and procedures in Parasitology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Immunology, Hematology, Blood Banking, and Urinalysis. Duties also include training laboratory and non-laboratory professionals, assessing local laboratories, and addressing food safety, environmental, and water quality issues. The RMLS travels at least 50 percent of the time to provide services at regional posts.

RMLS duties may include, but are not limited to the following at each regional post of responsibility:

Clinical

  • Evaluates and reports on the quality of local medical laboratory services, blood banks, and industrial laboratories at home and regional posts
  • Technical supervisor of regional laboratory personnel
  • Conducts competency assessments at home and regional posts
  • Performs and reports on medical and environmental laboratory tests
  • Performs phlebotomy on patients of all ages
  • Ensures patient confidentiality and records’ integrity
  • Addresses food safety, environmental, and water quality issues
  • Maintains credentials and continuing medical education
  • Trains health unit staff on specimen collection, processing, testing, and reporting
  • Conducts food safety and other instructional classes
  • Performs sanitation inspections
  • Maintains ServSafe® manager certification

Diplomatic

  • Collaborates with local laboratory directors and managers

Administrative

  • Manages the health unit laboratory operations
  • Oversees the Quality Management programs
  • Writes Exposure Control Plans
  • Performs cost analyses to determine cost versus benefit when indicated to maintain fiscal responsibility
  • Mentors new RMLSs
  • Evaluates test methods
  • Submits statistical reports to MED
  • Updates the medical capabilities database

Emergency Preparedness

  • Prepares laboratory testing information for the emergency preparedness programs
  • Assists with the post pandemic medical response plans

Regional Care Responsibilities

  • Arranges and maintains a regional travel schedule to respond to immediate and routine post needs
  • Maintains communication with regional health unit staff
  • Liaises with Regional Medical Managers
  • Maintains regular communication with the MED/LAB office in Washington, DC

An RMLS is considered ‘essential personnel’ and is expected to be available on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

RequirementsConditions of Employment

  • Be a U.S. citizen and accept assignments based on the needs of the FS.*
  • Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
  • Meet the minimum medical qualification standard.
  • Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
  • Be at least 20 years old and at least 21 years old to be appointed.
  • Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***

 

At the time of application, applicants must possess:

A minimum of five (5) years of full-time post-certification laboratory experience within the last ten (10) years in the Chemistry, Hematology, and Immunology areas of the laboratory, with experience and working knowledge in Parasitology, Microbiology, Blood Banking, and Urinalysis, with progressively responsible experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.

 

Qualifications

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The Department has conducted extensive job analysis research to determine Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and other attributes conducive to successful performance as an RMLS. An applicant’s education level, work experience, and other qualifications will be considered as part of the hiring decision-making process based on these KSA criteria.

  • Applicant must have demonstrated skill in performing tests with detail and accuracy and providing information to appropriate individuals, as necessary. The work involves exercising a high degree of laboratory management and technical expertise.
  • Applicant must have knowledge of the following: Medical Laboratory Science, General Anatomy, Medical Terminology, Quality Control procedures, Quality Assurance plans, laboratory equipment used in performing a variety of laboratory tests, skill in performing preventive maintenance and troubleshooting on laboratory equipment, ability to train other medical professionals in laboratory techniques is required.
  • Applicant must be a skilled and experienced Medical Laboratory Scientist capable of working independently. Experience in performing laboratory techniques to diagnose infectious and tropical diseases is preferred.
  • Applicant must have the ability to develop, coordinate, and administer food and safety programs and procedures, including teaching laboratory and safety topics to both small and large groups.
  • Applicants must be able to organize and supervise a diverse group of health care staff with varying degrees of expertise, education, and command of English. Applicants must understand the unique cultural differences related to laboratory methods and health care delivery in varied countries and address these differences in a positive manner.
  • Applicant must have the capacity to gain the cooperation and confidence of patients, co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates. Individuals must have experience in working in a multidisciplinary setting as well as experience in team building, leadership, and management. Effective written and oral communication skills are essential, as well as the ability to present laboratory findings in a clear and concise manner to medical and non-medical personnel. Demonstrated ability to teach or lecture to groups on laboratory issues is preferred.
  • General computer and Microsoft Office skills are required.

Applicants must demonstrate a high degree of technical expertise with management experience. 

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to manage the administrative aspects of a health unit laboratory, as well as the ability to cope with extraordinary issues, which may occur in remote and isolated settings. Previous experience working as a supervisor or section chief, or in an overseas setting, is advantageous.

The applicant must be a skilled and experienced medial laboratory scientist with excellent interpersonal skills. The applicant must be able to function well within a complex organization and have experience working in a high stress environment and recognize and understand the problems of delivering laboratory services to U.S. citizens posted in locations where local laboratory resources are limited or non-existent. The ability to objectively evaluate the quality of laboratory services based on observations and open-ended questions, and the ability to provide long distance assessment of issues via electronic communications such as telephone, radio, and email.

Specific medical knowledge areas required by the job include:  medical laboratory science, clinical laboratory standards, medical laboratory equipment, specimen collection, computer medical records and programs, international air transport association (IATA) regulations, and water testing methods and standards.

Specific medical skills required by the job include:  performing laboratory tests, collecting specimens, analyzing, observing, interviewing, and controlling laboratory documents.

Management skills required by the job include:  supervising, overseeing, managing laboratories, training, organizing, multitasking, working with others of diverse backgrounds, managing resources, budgeting, contracting, and using computers.

Personal skills required by the job include:  reading comprehension, active listening, active learning, oral and written communication, public speaking, complex problem identification, critical thinking, social perceptiveness, interpersonal skills, persuasion, service orientation, monitoring, coordination, process operation and control, and equipment selection and installation.

Other attributes required by the job include:  compassionate, self-sufficient, independent but integrated with the department, interest in continuous learning and change, attention to detail, dependable, tolerance of travel, worldwide available, tolerance of living away from family, and tolerance of working and living in difficult and/or isolated or high-threat locations.

Superior oral and written communication skills: Foreign Service Specialists must consistently meet a high standard for English, both written (overall structure as well as grammar, spelling and punctuation) and spoken (overall structure as well as delivery, clarity and succinctness). Applicants must demonstrate a strong command of the English language to include grammar, spelling, and punctuation. 

Essential Physical Requirements

The most important physical requirements of the job are:  vision, speaking, mobility, dexterity, physical endurance, mental endurance, and hearing.

RMLSs may need to perform essential functions effectively with or without reasonable accommodation, in environments that pose physical or other occupational challenges. These duties may include:

  • Provision of direct patient care that may require heavy lifting, pulling, stooping, bending, and twisting in tight and limited spaces
  • Travelling independently to regional posts using commercial air carriers, military aircraft, or other transportation modalities that may not offer special access accommodations
  • Provision of emergency care in any location following an accident, natural disaster, or attack and emergency care in potentially hostile or physically challenging environments, such as in buildings without elevators or in areas with irregular spaces that require kneeling, bending, stooping, lifting, walking, and running on uneven terrain
  • Transportation of self or patients via small aircraft, helicopters, ambulances, or other non-standard modes of transportation with small entrances and high floors, such as high-axle armored vehicles

Education

 

 

At the time of application applicants must meet the below qualifications and have a minimum of five (5) years of full-time post-certification laboratory experience within the last ten (10) years in the Chemistry, Hematology, and Immunology areas of the laboratory, with experience and working knowledge in Parasitology, Microbiology, Blood Banking, and Urinalysis, with progressively responsible experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist :

A Bachelor's or a Master's degree from a regionally accredited college/university in Medical Laboratory Science, Clinical Laboratory Science, Medical Technology OR biological science (Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry).

AND

  • Successful completion of a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) accredited Medical Laboratory Science program OR successful completion of a 50-week U.S. military medical laboratory training course.

AND

  • Hold a current national certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification OR a current national certification from American Medical Technologists (AMT) OR current state licensure. For AMT certifications, those credentialed prior to 01/01/2004 must upload proof of participation in Credential Maintenance Program with no expiration date. Those credentialed after 01/01/2004 must upload their current active certification.

You must submit a copy of your university transcript(s) with your application. If you do not submit this documentation to demonstrate your educational achievements, your candidacy will not continue.  Please see the Required Documents section for additional required attachments.

Official or unofficial transcripts may be submitted with your application. Your transcript must include your name, the school’s name, the degree and date awarded, and have no missing pages. A transcript missing any of these elements will not pass the minimum qualifications and the candidacy will not continue. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education above high school level.

Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of program completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation.

Education completed in foreign high schools, colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Only accredited organizations recognized as specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) are accepted.  If documentation from an accredited organization is not provided, your candidacy will not continue.

NACES: https://www.naces.org/index

AICE: https://aice-eval.org/

For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.

OPM: www.opm.gov  

U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov  

 

Additional information

 

 

*EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) – Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.
U.S. law requires companies to employ only individuals who may legally work in the U.S. – either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

**The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information please visit: https://fam.state.gov/

***For more information about Veteran’s Preference and how it is applied in the selection process, please visit: https://careers.state.gov/about/diversity-inclusion/veterans-program-office/.

No applicant will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections §607, §608, §610 or §611 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no applicant will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.

A Foreign Service Specialist separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 may not re-apply to be a Foreign Service Specialist in the same skill code but may apply for another skill code or to be a Foreign Service Generalist.

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination whether discrimination is based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors.

The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to qualified candidates with disabilities.  Procedures vary by test type, and all candidates must request reasonable accommodations in advance.  For more information visit https://careers.state.gov/faq-items/what-is-the-assessment-centers-policy-on-reasonable-accommodations-for-persons-with-disabilities-or-those-who-have-medical-conditions-or-other-needs-such-as-the-use-of-medical-devices-or-acc/.