Skip to main content
U.S. flag

Health Technician (Optometry GAP)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located at the Salisbury VAHCS, Optometry Service, Salisbury, NC with duty at the Charlotte Health Care Center, Charlotte, NC, with rotation to the Charlotte CBOC, Charlotte, NC. The incumbent provides varied range of significant patient-related duties in support of the eyecare, and treatment given to patients in Optometry Service.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/27/2025 to 07/07/2025
Salary
$51,074 to - $66,400 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Charlotte, NC
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
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBTA-12756220-25-MAJ
Control number
839644400

Videos

Duties

Help

Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

  • Obtaining a patient's physical history;
  • Documents all pertinent information appropriately;
  • Performs spectacle data collection;
  • Glasses measurements;
  • Frame selection, measurement and fitting;
  • Tonometry, extra-ocular motility testing, and pupillary function
  • Humphrey, Goldman and tangent screen visual field testing;
  • Keratometry (manual and/or automated);
  • B scan ultrasonography;
  • Schirmer testing for quantitative tear production;
  • Stereopsis testing using Titmus and stereofly tester;
  • Color vision assessment;
  • Amsler grid testing to evaluate each eye separately for distortion, metamorphopsia, micropsia, and scotomas;
  • Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) testing;
  • Setting up the minor procedure room for in-clinic procedures, assisting the doctor with these procedures, cleaning up after the procedures;
  • Setting up the minor procedure room for removal of foreign body, lash epilating and cornea abrasion;
  • Calling patients regarding appointments, filling out paperwork related to procedures performed in the clinic;
  • Performing inventory of instruments, exam lens, eye medications, and other Eye Clinic supplies;
  • Assisting the doctor in other non-specified technical areas within the clinic;
  • Performs direct patient care in the form of changing eye dressings, instilling eye drops, etc.;
  • Maintains all stock levels of ophthalmic medications and supplies necessary for the function of the clinic;
  • Trains clerical support from other services, instructs residents and interns in the use of ocular instruments, computer usage, and the start-up of equipment;
  • Independently records clinical photographs of the ocular fundus and other photographic procedures;
  • Performs medical observation and identification of the side effects of the procedures;
  • Promptly recognizes urgent or emergent patient care situations, seeks assistance appropriately and effectively intervenes as directed.
Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 4:30 pm, based on the needs of the service
Compressed:Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Help

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 trial 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.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

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. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
  • Education or Experience.
  • (1) 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
  • (2) 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
  • (3) 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.
  • Licensure/Certification/Registration. None.
  • 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-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:
    • 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.
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.

Physical Requirements: The individual must be able to work for sustained periods under pressure. Heavy clinics will occasionally require long hours under hectic conditions, and the ability to be flexible in regards to patient need is critical. More specifically, the position requires the operation of several different devices under dim illumination for the examination of patients. These generally require that the operator sit opposite the patient, using one hand to support the eyelids in the static position while the body, head, and other hand of the operator must be able to shift positions sometimes rapidly to obtain the optimal picture field during an angiography procedure. In addition, the operator's eye is employed in this arrangement and the combination of static position and adjusting movements can be stressful and tiring.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.