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Summary The Health Technician (Optometry) is a member of the specialty team and provides direct assistance to the Optometrist. This position assists the staff optometrist in serving our Veteran population by maximizing efficiency, performing administrative duties, and providing clinical treatment with emphasis on patient satisfaction and the VA's exceptional standard of care. Responsibilities The Health Technician (Optometry) performs a complete range of diagnostic support duties in support of the mission of the clinic, which include but may not be limited to: Responsible for obtaining a patient's physical history to include chief complaint, pertinent signs/symptoms, past history (both ocular and general), family history (both ocular and general), social history and review of medications and allergies to include current eye medications. Obtains corrected and uncorrected Snellen visual acuity or acuity with low vision specialized charts before they are seen by the Optometrist(s) and accurately record results in the electronic health record (CPRS). Prepares glasses prescription for practitioners to evaluate and sign. Measures and records intraocular pressure by non-contact tonometry. Operates all diagnostic equipment within the clinic, including but not limited to, optical coherence tomographer (OCT), pachymeter, visual field (VF) analyzer, "A" scan IOL (lntraocular Lens) Master, lensometer, B-scan ultrasound, anterior segment camera, and digital fundus camera. Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection, calibration, maintenance, and back up of all clinic equipment. Will assist with annual inventory, ordering of instruments, supplies, and equipment, and obtain quotes as needed. Will report needed repairs to biomedical engineering. Assists the Optometrist(s) in other non-specified technical areas within the clinic. Performs simple repairs on spectacles to include but not limited to tightening screws, replacing lenses that have fallen out, and replacing nose pads. Will perform adjustments on spectacles for patient comfort including temple, nose pad, and pantoscopic tilt adjustments. Prepares and maintains the examination room to include proper equipment calibration and disinfection. Will perform inventories and replace or order all medications, equipment, supplies and forms (e.g., replacement bulbs, visual field paper) needed for the Optometry Section in accordance with VA and JCAHO requirements. Coordinates scheduling with Specialty and other medical clerks. Responsible for coordinating patient information between VA facilities and private sector offices. Controls patient flow by monitoring arrivals of scheduled patients. Assists in adjusting scheduling when patient flow is disrupted by emergencies or other occurrences. Performs other duties as directed. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The position is primarily located DuBois but may require travel to Indiana Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm 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 available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 503-04192-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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. 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience and Education: 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; 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; 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. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. 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). Grade Determinations: Health Technician, Optometry, GS-7 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 ( Ability to provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions, to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care; Ability to accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e., eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings, including sphere, cylinder and axis; Ability to perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing, including selection of appropriate frame, ophthalmic lenses, interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination, as well as the ability to transpose sphere, cylinder and axis; Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests; Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms.). 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: The position requires fine motor skills and dexterity necessary for working with ophthalmic equipment. 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. The operator's eye is employed in this arrangement and the combination of static position and adjusting movements can be stressful and tiring. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, sitting, bending, lifting, pushing and reaching. It requires pushing a patient in a wheelchair. Clinic duties require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, e.g., wheelchair bound patients. Various equipment items and some heavy objects must be moved or relocated, e.g., visual field machine. It requires walking throughout the clinic environment to access faxing and printing equipment, etc. It requires frequent computer use. The individual must be able to work for sustained periods under pressure. The ability to be flexible in regards to patient needs is critical. 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.