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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As a Health Technician (Optometry), you will:

• With minimal assistance and guidance on occasion, performs ophthalmic testing to include:
  • Distance and near visual acuities with and without optical correction and pinhole acuity
  • Spectacle correction using an auto-lensometer
  • Interpupillary distance
  • Automated static and kinetic visual field testing e. Frequency Doubling (FDT) visual field testing
  • Corneal topography
  • Corneal pachymetry using an optical coherence tomographer
  • Automated keratometry
  • Automated refraction
  • Optical Coherence Tomography - anterior and posterior segment
  • Ophthalmic photography - external, anterior and posterior segment
  • Patient vital signs
  • Other testing as technology advances and/or new equipment secured by VA
• With minimal assistance and guidance on occasion, performs administrative support to include:
  • Printing patient schedule and medication list using VistA and preparing patient folders
  • Keeping track of patient arrivals
  • Putting patient folder in proper exam room door as patient arrives
  • Properly using CPRS to assist with patient inquiries and care
  • Triaging secure messages daily
  • Monitoring and recording temperature in Pyxis unit
  • Monitoring and recording temperature in HLD room
  • Cleaning patients chairs in hallway and dilation room
  • Working collaboratively with MSAs and optical staff
  • Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
• With minimal assistance and guidance on occasion, assists in the delivery of care to include:
  • Maintaining a smooth flow of patients through the Optometry Clinic
  • Greeting and triaging patients arriving at clinic
  • Properly taping mask to patient's face
  • Obtaining and recording patient care history including medical and ocular histories
  • Reconcilingmedication list
  • Screening for and verifying allergies
  • Assisting Optometrists in the examination room
  • Assisting Optometrists with patient education via oral instruction, written education materials, and other available media as deemed necessary
  • Maintaining appropriate inventory and maintenance of supplies, medications, and equipment
  • Restocking non-medication supplies in exam room (e.g., tissues, alcohol swabs, cotton swabs, mydriatic filters)
  • Pulling in-office diagnostic medications from Pyxis unit and restocking in exam rooms
  • Cleaning designated items in exam room
  • Cleaning and sterilizing equipment requiring high level disinfection (HLD)
  • Preparing reusable medical equipment (RME) and transporting for sterilization at TAMC SPD
  • Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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 $144,000 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)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: (GS-04) 08021-F; (GS-05) 08022-F; (GS-06) 08023; & (GS-07) 08024-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical 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 interest. In 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.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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 as a health technician or assistant in the health care field demonstrating the applicant's ability to perform the work or by demonstrating a basic understanding of work in the health care field; OR
  • Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours related to health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant or associate degree, or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field; OR
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below:
    • Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge of optometry assistant theory and practices and general understanding of the health technician/assistant duties and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant related courses.
    • Successful completion of a course for health care technicians or assistants, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training in a program given by the U.S. Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or the U.S. Public Health Service, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Health Technician (Optometry) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

• Health Technician (Optometry), GS-04
  • Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.
• Health Technician (Optometry), GS-05
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
    1. Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function.
    2. Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note.
    3. Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting.
    4. Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures.
    5. Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs, such as replacing nose pads and screws.
• Health Technician (Optometry), GS-06
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
    1. Ability to provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions, to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care.
    2. Ability to accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e., eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings, including sphere, cylinder and axis.
    3. Ability to perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing, including selection of appropriate frame, ophthalmic lenses, interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination, as well as the ability to transpose sphere, cylinder and axis.
    4. Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests.
    5. Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms.
• Health Technician (Optometry), GS-07
  • Experience. One year of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
    1. Ability to determine preliminary objective estimate and/or refinement of the optical status of the eye, not to include the patient's final subjective refraction.
    2. Ability to triage and manage eyeglasses issues (e.g., measurement of vertex distance, base curve, prism correction, center thickness, slab off, Fresnel prism, decentration, etc.).
    3. Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near).
    4. Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures.
    5. Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears.
    6. Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions.

References: References: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-07.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.