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Dental Laboratory Technician

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

This position is located within the Portland VA Medial Center in Portland Oregon. He/she is responsible for fabricating a variety of dental appliances when abnormalities of the mouth are involved.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/10/2025 to 12/17/2025
Salary
$59,615 to - $77,506 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Portland, OR
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBSV-12847719-26-JB
Control number
852077500

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Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Fabricating appliances which correct abnormal for conditions of the mouth including missing teeth, obturators and splints for the replacement of lost oral tissues and the reduction of jaw fractures.
  • Constructing and repairing prosthetic appliances from prescriptions prepared by staff dentists, using an articulator in the fabrication of appliances.
  • Fabricating all types of precious and metal crowns, acrylic jackets, veneers and inlays, precision attachments, and fixed bridge restorations of gold alloys, porcelain ad acrylic resin, as well as unusually complex porcelain-to-gold restorations. Such work includes using hydrocolloid impressions, duplicating refractory models, trimming dies, and placing dowel pins as well as the proper preparations of wax patterns, investing, casting and polishing crowns. The technician is responsible for the proper articulation and occlusion of cases to include full arch models with multi-unit castings to be articulated in the full range of mandibular excursions.
  • Fabricating artificial denture restorations according to dentist's prescription, choosing stock teeth, mounting them on an articulator, setting teeth in wax with regard to proper occlusion, articulator, and esthetic appearance as well as ridge and arch contour and jaw relationship. After approval of the setup of teeth, the technician carves and contours the pattern of the denture resin which is chosen on the basis of color to match the patient's mouth.
  • Repairs all types of denture fractures, replacing broken or missing denture teeth and soldering and replacing broken clasps.
  • Maintains equipment at safe efficient operating levels. Essential routine oiling, cleaning, etc. must be regularly performed. Should assist in seeing that materials and supplies are adequately stocked.
  • Some teaching and training of students from career development program, special work study students. SETA program candidates, or other trainees.
Preferred Experience:
  • Experience with all phases of removable design and fabrication.
  • Familiarity with digital lab equipment.
  • Experience with design and fabrication of maxillofacial prosthetics.
  • 5+ years experience as a Dental Laboratory Technician.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 5:00pm PST (variable
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Dental Laboratory Technician/PD21791A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

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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
  • 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)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or 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 time-in-grade and specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 12/17/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

English Proficiency - In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Using dental laboratory material such as impression materials, plasters, stones, hydrocolloids, waxes, metals, acrylics, porcelain, and similar materials; using laboratory equipment such as hand tools, dental lathes, engines, and hand pieces, furnaces, casting machines, presses, flasks, CAD/CAM technology and related equipment; using precision instruments such as articulators, surveyors, and microanalyzers; constructing dental prosthetic appliances; maintaining a laboratory area in a clean and orderly fashion; properly sterilizing and/or disinfecting critical/semi-critical items in the fabrication of dental appliances as well as laboratory equipment; ensuring ongoing review of laboratory chemicals and expiration dates; and maintaining inventory of laboratory chemicals. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week.
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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily performed while seated; however, working to close tolerances requires bending and crouching over the work table. Manual dexterity is required to fabricates appliances to exacting specifications. Keen vision is essential. Incumbent is required to lift up to 35lbs when filling plaster bins.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

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

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Resume Reminder -
Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:

  • Job title
  • Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Salary/Rank etc.
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
  • References, current or recent supervisor
Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
  • Classified or Government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SNN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. The experience stated in your resume must support your assessment responses.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.


Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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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