Clarification from the agency

Open to all US Citizens and current permanent federal employees of other agencies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Employees at this grade level serve as a Health Technician (Pedorthist). The work represents independent assessment of patients with all levels of disease and disability, formulation of a treatment plan, implementation of the treatment plan, follow up of the treatment to validate outcomes and refine the treatment plan to improve patient compliance and satisfaction.

Health Technician (Pedorthist) Annual Salary:
GS-7: $51,283 to $66,670

Duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not restricted to:

• Assists with the repair, engineering, fitting and dispensing of orthotic appliances.
• Interprets consults as submitted by VA clinicians, ensures the legal requirements governing eligibility and entitlement to prosthetic and orthotic devices are met.
• Contacts provider with any questions regarding requested item.
• Performs patient screenings relative to the prosthetics program.
• Provides appropriate non-custom orthotic appliance and instructs patients on correct use and care.
• Applies prefabricated orthopedic devices such as but not limited to, lumbo-sacral supports, abdominal binders, cervical collars, wrist splints, arm slings, knee braces, knee sleeves, compression hose, ankle supports, trusses, non-custom in- depth shoes, over-the-counter foot orthotics with limited supervision.
• Posts stock issues for the items issued to patients and packaging/mailing items to patient's home.
• Provides the patient the opportunity to select an outside (non-VA) contract provider should the patient choose to.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday thru Friday, 08:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
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).
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 #: 00000


Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/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:

Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
Credential.Candidates must be board certified in pedorthics by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC).

OR

Credentialed in pedorthics by the Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC).

OR

Exception for Non-Credentialed Health Aid (Pedorthist).

• Non-credentialed individuals who have successfully completed a Board for Certification in Pedorthics (BCP), Commission on Accreditation of Pedorthic Education (CAPE), National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or American Board for Certification of Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) approved pedorthic certificate program (see Pedorthist Programs) and otherwise meet ABC's eligibility requirements for certification (see Pedorthist Candidate Guide) may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate Health Aid (Pedorthist) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B).
• Non-credentialed individuals shall only provide care under the clinical oversight of a credentialed pedorthist, orthotist, or orthotist/prosthetist at or above the full performance level.
• Non-credentialed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
• Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Health Aid (Pedorthist) may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.

Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, Health Technician (Pedorthist) must actively pursue meeting requirements for certification starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the Health Technician (Pedorthist) with the written requirements for certification, including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in termination of employment.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement, performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and credentialing/certification, where applicable. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements:

• Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees in an occupation that requires a credentialing only at higher grade levels must meet the credentialing requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
• Employees who are 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.
• Employees 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 re-entry to the occupation.
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtains credentialing/certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations: All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements above and all qualification requirements defined in the specific grade.

Health Technician (Pedorthist), GS-07.

Experience.
One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

AND

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Skill in designing advanced pedorthic devices.
(b) Skill in assessing device types for structural soundness and meeting the specifications of the prescription.
(c) Skill in written communication.
(d) Skill in oral communication.
(e) Skill in fabrication of all pedorthic device types.
(f) Skill in designing innovative pedorthic devices to include new and emerging technology.


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-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7.

Physical Requirements: The ability to perform heavy lifting and carrying of 45 lbs. and over. It also involves straight pulling for up to 1 hour, pushing for 1 to 2 hours, and reaching above the shoulder. The use of fingers and both hands is required. Candidates must be able to walk and stand for up to 3 hours each. Additionally, the job entails repeated bending for up to 1 hour, and requires the ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Near vision must be correctable at a distance of 13 to 16 inches, and hearing aids are permitted.

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.