Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This is an internal job announcement. This is announcement is open to current permanent facility employees and current permanent VA employees.

Videos

VA Careers - Prosthetics: https://youtube.com/embed/3NUvF5jjErQ

Major Duties:

• Serves as a Prosthetic Representative completing a variety of prosthetic and sensory aids assignments, projects, activities independently to meet PM&RS's long-and- short term program goals. Performs technical, administrative, and analytical prosthetic related assignments for the PM&RS OPPCS Lab.
• Works directly with Veterans and clinical teams to assist with applications and answer questions related to benefit programs that cannot be handled by lower level employees. They provide recommendations to the treatment team regarding the development of prescriptions and provide technical assistance and guidance on planning and coordination e??orts, to address complex patient medical and rehabilitative needs for equipment, services, and benefits. At this level employees may serve as the lead for the prosthetic program providing oversight of specific services within PM&RS.
• Serves as a VHA and PM&RS representative on local and national committees, workgroups, and teams to address a variety of PM&RS's issues, initiatives, and projects. Keeps the PM&RS senior staff aware of outcomes and recommendations to enhance the program.
• Seeks best practices from other VHA facilities to enhance PM&RS OPPCS Lab's prosthetic and sensory aids program to meet veterans' needs. Conducts visits to VISNs and VHA locations to collect, review, and analyze their best practice information and report findings to the supervisor to consider.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively both orally and in writing. Drafts, develops, and implements new local organizational policies, directives, and procedures that are consistent with national policies, procedures, and programs. Provides documents to the supervisor for final approval after the incumbent submits final, review, comments, and recommendations.
• Maintains awareness of VA's, VHA's, and PSAS's requirements by governing bodies, i.e. The Joint Commission (JC), Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC).
• Keeps abreast of current issues in the health care industry and technological advancements and provides subject-matter expertise to VHA and PM&RS's senior officials as needed.
• Completes Prosthetic Representative, technical, programmatic, and administrative duties independently. Provides training, advice, and guidance related to administrative functions, including statistics, data analysis, budgeting, contracting, procurement, inventory management, human resources, logistics/space, equipment, and supplies. Oversees the operation of the Prosthetic, Orthotic, optical laboratories, including restorations activities.
• Completes contracting and procurement assignments independently to prepare and authorize purchase orders for a wide variety of prosthetic and orthotic devices. Provides status reports regularly to the supervisor to keep the supervisor well informed for accountability purposes.
• Monitors and ensures requests for items or services are completed and received under established timeframes; and confers with contractors, vendors, and other health care workers as needed regarding procurement status and other needs and concerns.
• Provides oversight and management of contracts. Monitors contracts for compliance with the statement of work; and receives, analyzes, and completes requests for prosthetic equipment and services. Keeps the supervisor well informed of procurement or contract issues as they arise.
• Monitors and analyzes PM&RS compliance reports, Delayed Order Report, aged credit card transactions, compliance metrics and scorecards. Develops tools that monitor VHA's quality assurance program. Works in collaboration with supervisor and senior staff to plan, develop, and prepare budget estimates; to develop cost containment measures for prosthetic equipment and services; to authorize benefit payment and reimbursement.
• Procures materials, supplies, and equipment; familiar with inventory stock and works collaboratively with Supply Chain to provide oversight of prosthetic service inventories; and refers veterans to proper clinical area for evaluation with guidance from supervisor and senior staff.
• Keeps supervisor informed of procurement updates by preparing detailed status reports regularly. Ensures VA, VHA, and PM&RS's procurement procedures are adhered to.

Major Duties will continue in Education section below:

Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
Telework: Ad-hoc only.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: GS-05 54346-F, GS-07 54347-F, GS-09 54348-F, GS-11 54349-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 identification 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

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. Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below.
  1. Experience. One year of creditable experience that demonstrates: Knowledge of basic anatomy and medical terminology; knowledge of accounting methods; ability to research, analyze, comprehend, and apply decisions; basic knowledge of inventory management procedures; ability to use computer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet
     development, and database management; and ability to work independently and as a member
     of a team; or
  2. Education. A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours could include but is not limited to any combination from the following fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree; or
  3. Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

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:
GS-05: (a) Experience. None beyond the basic requirement.

GS-7: (a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, directly related to the position to be filled.
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Ability to understand and apply processes, procedures, regulations, and laws as it applies to purchasing and the provision of prosthetic items/services.
2. Ability to coordinate multiple requests for durable medical equipment (DME), including repairs, services, and benefits.
3. Ability to act as a liaison with and work effectively with health care providers, patients, caregivers and vendors to ensure that the most appropriate device and services are received timely.
4. Ability to monitor contractors and vendors for compliance with contract requirements.

GS-09: (a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level, that is directly related to the position to be filled.
OR,
(b) Education. Education equivalent to two full years of progressively higher level graduate education or Master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours may include, but is not limited to, any combination from the following fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree.
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of methods to identify trends and causation factors sufficient to analyze prepared data and gather information to inform and advise management.
2. Ability to organize, prioritize, and monitor actions to ensure timeliness.
3. Ability to understand and articulate the benefits program options available. This includes communicating with patients, caregivers, health care providers and vendors.
4. Ability to apply and educate others about national, VISN, and facility directives, policies, procedures and regulations.
5. Ability to work effectively with a clinical team and provide recommendations for prosthetic devices.

GS-11: (a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level, that is directly related to the position to be filled.
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Ability to work independently to set priorities; delegate tasks; meet multiple deadlines; analyze organizational problems; and develop and implement effective solutions to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity.
2. Ability to work with a team, to provide technical guidance, plan, organize, and coordinate activities to effectively complete job duties of assignment, such as distributing workload; and monitoring the accuracy, status and progress of work.
3. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels.
4. Ability to assist in staff development, outcome management, and strategic planning.
5. Ability to act as liaison between staff to resolve informal employee complaints and concerns.
6. Knowledge of rehabilitative treatment goals and strategies that are unique to patients in specialized programs and knowledge of those specific program requirements. (See paragraph 2.g. above)

Preferred Experience:

1. One year of creditable purchasing experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, utilizing a government purchase card.
2. Two years of creditable customer experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, directly related to the health care industry.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of SG-05 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: Pre-Employment/Post-Employment Physical Examination: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization.

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.