Clarification from the agency

Open to current Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Health Technicians (Optometry) perform duties such as measuring and recording visual acuity, obtaining accurate potential acuity meter, laser interferometry, contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements. At the full performance level, Health Technician assignments typically involve more complex optometry needs which can vary within a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements including peer education/mentorship. Based on assignment and grade, major duties and responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicated).
• Obtaining accurate potential acuity meter, laser interferometry, contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements.
• Evaluate pupillary light responses and measure pupil size, determine the presence or absence of fusion and perform stereoacuity measurements.
• Perform Amsler grid testing.
• Administer eye drops under the supervision of an eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist).
• Perform basic tonometry (e.g., non-contact, Goldmann, Tono-Pen) and estimate the anterior chamber depth with a penlight or slit lamp biomicroscope.
• Skilled in properly reading a basic spectacle prescription using an automated or manual lensometer.
• Obtaining accurate autorefractometry and keratometry measurements.
• Performing confrontation and standard automated visual field testing.
• Administering and scoring basic color vision tests (e.g., pseudoischromatic plates, Farnsworth D-15).
• Adept at measuring and recording corneal thickness by pachymetry as well as performance of advanced corneal measurements, exophthalmometry, tear testing and ocular imaging (e.g., stereo fundus, basic slit lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular lens master measurements, ocular ultrasonography, posterior segment optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence and/or ocular angiography).
• Consistently responds to patients, families, and co-worker's requests for assistance promptly and in a friendly and cooperative manner.
• Consistently provides written and oral communication that is thorough and correct, using clear precise communication methods to ensure that customers understand.
• Applies therapeutic communication techniques when interacting with demanding or distressed patients; Demonstrates professionalism at all times, modeling the tenants of I-CARE.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F03147, F03148, F03149, F03021
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

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.

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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, on 3/9/2026.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in both spoken and written English.
• 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:
• (a) 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.
• (b) 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.

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.
• Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in a health technician (optometry) entry level position. More experienced staff members guide and provide daily direct supervision for the health technicians (optometry).

Health Technician (Optometry), GS-05

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-4).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function.
• Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note.
• Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting.
• Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures.
• 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 (GS-5).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests.
• 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 (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
• 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.
• 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.).
• Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near).
• Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures.
• Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears.
• Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions.

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).

Preferred Experience:

• Prior eye clinic technician experience preferred

References: Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G68.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. 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: The incumbent requires adequate manual dexterity and fine motor coordination to utilize some of the instrumentation. In addition, the incumbent may be required to transfer patients from a wheelchair to the examination chairs or seating in the testing areas. This position requires regular walking, sitting, standing and occasionally handling supply boxes of varying weights. It is not a sedentary position.

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.