Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Incumbent would be asked to work from any of our 3 locations (Salisbury Medical Center, Kernersville HCC, and Charlotte HCC), as the need arises. This Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures with responsibility for checking calibration of instruments prior to the procedure. Duties include, but not limited to:

• Responsible for obtaining patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs/symptoms; past history both ocular and general, family history both ocular and general; social history; and review of medications and allergies, including current ocular prescription and non-prescription medications.
• Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole.
• Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder.
• Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation, and any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect.
• Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter.
• Instills eye medications (i.e., drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilation, cycloplegic, or antibiotics.
• Responsible for measuring intraocular pressure of the eye utilizing techniques, including Goldman applanation tonometry.
• Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature.
• Performs intraocular lens calculations using the IOL Master.
• Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines.
• Performance of external photographs and fundus photography. Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. Performs patient screening and triage emergencies identifying ocular emergencies.
• Performs patient screening and telephone triage for immediate care.
• Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery, including revision of wounds, biopsies of the eyelid lesions, cultures of conjunctiva, grafts, intra-vitreous injections, and laser surgical procedures.
• Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye car, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.
• Assists in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations.
• Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection; calibration, maintenance, backup, annual inventory and ordering of instruments, supplies and equipment; obtains quotes as needed; and reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering.
• Advanced biometry- including immersion A scan, manual keratometry
• Performs retinal photography and fluorescein angiography
• Assist with minor surgical procedures including laser and intravitreal injections
• Applanation tonometry

Conditions of employment

• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.

• 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.

Qualifications

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
Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician.
OR
Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a health care related degree.
Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below:
(a) Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or
(b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces; or
(c) Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.

Certification.
All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO). The COA certification is JCAHPO's entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology).

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification requirements. 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 it, the following provisions apply:(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance(journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.(2) Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) who were appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of the qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.(4) Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization 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.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
1.Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology.
2. Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment.
3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing.
4. Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting.
5. Ability to provide eye care patient education.
Grade Determinations:Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-5 (Entry Level)Experience or Education: None Beyond the Basic Requirements
Health Technician (Ophthalmology),
GS-6 (Developmental Level 1)Experience: One year of Experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
GS-7 (Developmental Level 2)Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level
GS-8 (Full Performance Level)Experience: Must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.
GS-9 (Advanced Level)Experience: Must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA):
1. Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation.
2. Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens.
3. Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting.
4. Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology.
5. Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye.
6. Knowledge of optics.
7. Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.

References: VA Handbook 5005/98, Part II, Appendix G52, Health Technician (Ophthalmology)The advanced performance level of this vacancy is GS-09.
Physical Requirements: The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) needs to be mobile in that the job requires: sitting, walking, standing, and bending. Work requires trips often from employee's work-site to other areas throughout the Medical Center. The Health Technician will be performing eye screening examinations utilizing specialized equipment. The Health Technician must be able to record the findings in the computerized records system and be able to communicate with patients and other staff on a continual basis.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.