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Health Technician (Optometry)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
VISN 12 Great Lakes Health Care System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is organizationally aligned to the Specialty Service at the VA llliana Health Care System - a Level 3 Complexity VHA Facility. The primary purpose is to serve as health technician for the staff Optometrists within the Specialty Service, performing a variety of health care and clinical support responsibilities that are directly related to the position.



Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/26/2025 to 07/17/2025
Salary
$55,328 to - $71,932 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Peoria, IL
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CAZP-12754230-25-LT
Control number
839496600

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Duties

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

  • Collaborates and assists members of the health care team in data collection, visual screening (near vision, distance vision, condition of the pupil and intraocular pressure), and general care for patients ranging in age from 18 to geriatric.
  • Independently conducts initial interview with patients to gather patient physical history.
  • Independently orients patient and sets up equipment in preparation of routine tests.
  • Measures and records the optical power of the spectacle correction using a lensometer.
  • Measures refractive error and corneal curvature using automated instrumentation.
  • Performs testing of contrast sensitivity, color vision, stereo acuity, glare sensitivity, and pupil function.
  • Performs basic ocular motility testing. Administers cycloplegic and mydriatic drugs for fundus examination.
  • Assists the physician in performing specialized procedures including applanation tonometry, pachymetry, and keratometry.
  • Performs advanced color vision testing, corneal topography, lens biometry, optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior and posterior segment, A and B scan ultrasound, anterior segment photography, and fundus photography.
  • Performs preliminary manifest refractions. Accurately measures and records both central and peripheral visual fields using both automated and manual visual field testing instrumentation.
  • Provides patient care as assigned to include documentation of health care activities in the medical record as appropriate. Assists with the admission of the patients and the maintenance of medical records to include filing, adding demographic information, and filling out laboratory/x-ray/EKG slips.
  • Provides training for less experienced staff technicians. Maintains current knowledge and answers questions on procedures, policies, directives, etc. and obtains needed information or decisions from supervisor on problems that come up.
  • Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection of all clinic equipment and supplies. Works with appropriate logistics and biomedical engineering staff to to ensure calibration, maintenance, back-up, and inventory, of instruments, supplies, and equipment.
  • Obtains quotes and assists with requests for commodities and equipment as needed.
  • Performs other health technician-related duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday
Compressed Schedule: 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 authorized.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: FS21-0016

Requirements

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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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • 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).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
English: Must beproficient in spoken and written English.
Experience: Must have (1) 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: Must have successfully completed 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: Must have the equivalent combinations of experience and education.
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.

In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must also meet the following grade specific requirements:

GS-8 Specialized Experience: Must have (1) one year of experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-7) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Experience includes: evaluate pupillary light responses and measure pupil size, determine the presence or absence of fusion and perform stereoacuity measurements. The health technicians (optometry) 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.

In addition, candidates must be able to demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
(a) Ability to provide patient education and training to manage complex eye and vision conditions.
(b) Knowledge of advanced triage of patients depending upon level of urgency or optometry needs.
(c) Knowledge of complex, non-standard treatment and/or complex examinations and techniques.
(d) Knowledge of ocular pharmacology and systemic medications with ocular side effects.

References: VA Handbook 5005/142, Part II, Appendix G68. Health Technician (Optometry) Qualification Standard, dated April 9, 2021.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: The work requires walking, standing, sitting, bending, and helping patients into and out of the examination chairs.


Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

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