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Summary The Health Technician (Pedorthist) serves as part of the Prosthetics Service Line at Minneapolis VA Medical Center, located in Minneapolis, MN. 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. Responsibilities Major duties include, but are not limited to: The Health Technician (Pedorthist) communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patients and caregivers in various interdisciplinary clinical settings as a subject matter expert to develop the pedorthic treatment plan. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) provides complex patient analyses in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions and interrelated conditions. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) assesses patients for indications/contraindications. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) discusses the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for the purpose of developing the overall treatment plan with considerable influence in the development of the plan. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) analyzes the potential use of new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative pedorthic devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) takes scans and measurements for advanced devices, prepares and modifies casts for advanced devices, repairs and fabricates advanced devices and provides patient/caregiver education for advanced devices. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) recognizes physical abnormalities, deviations and complicating conditions with potentially life-threatening implications. The Health Technician (Pedorthist) privileges (Individual Scope of Practice) other credentialed clinicians to provide pedorthic care based on ABC privileging requirements. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not 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 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 #: 00000 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. 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 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 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. 1. Candidates must be board certified in pedorthics by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC). or 2. Credentialed in pedorthics by the Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. English Language Proficiency. Health Technician (Pedorthist) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Pedorthist), GS-04 Experience. Six months of experience demonstrating knowledge, skills and abilities associated with pedorthic practice equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of patient related psychology, for example age-related competency, patient, and caregiver stressors. (b) Knowledge of foundational sciences related to development of pedorthic treatment, for example anatomy, biomechanics, and pathology. (c) Knowledge of materials science commonly used in fabrication, for example adhesives, plastics, composites, metals, and leather. (d) Knowledge of regulations and procedures to ensure patient privacy. (e) Ability to assign Healthcare Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) coding to pedorthic devices. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in a Health Technician (Pedorthist) trainee developmental position, in accordance with clear and well-established procedures and work under the clinical oversight and direction of a credentialed pedorthist, orthotist, or CPO. Health Technician (Pedorthist) attends clinic to observe and articulate understanding of terms and diagnoses encountered. They observe and assist in the evaluation of the prescription, the assessment of the patient, preparation, and modification of casts for simple device types, repairs, and fabrication of simple devices in accordance with the input of the supervising clinician. Health Technician (Pedorthist), GS-05 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in conducting patient assessments. (b) Skill in developing simple pedorthic devices (includes assessment, measurement, selection, and fitting). (c) Ability to consult with providers and allied health colleagues regarding treatment. (d) Ability to assess device to ensure structural soundness and compliance with prescription and fit. Assignment. Assignments at this grade level represent a developmental level where the individual continues developing the broader knowledge, skills, and abilities to prepare for the next developmental level. Clinical oversight is more general in nature for assignments for which the individual has demonstrated competency. Health Technician (Pedorthist) consults with supervisor or the individual providing clinical oversight for guidance not covered by instructions. They conduct patient assessments, take scans, and measurements for simple devices, prepare, and modify casts for simple devices. Health Technician (Pedorthist), GS-06 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in developing a follow up treatment plan for complex pedorthic device types. (b) Ability to process paperwork for pedorthic devices being produced and fitted by vendor. (c) Ability to place administrative orders with procurement staff for treatment modalities. (d) Ability to assess device types for structural soundness and meeting the specifications of the prescription. (e) Ability to process consults/orders. Assignment. Assignments at this grade level represent a developmental level where the individual continues developing broader knowledge, skills, and abilities to prepare for the full performance level. Clinical oversight is more general in nature for assignments, for which the individual has demonstrated competency. Health Technician (Pedorthist) at this level possess a broad working knowledge of simple and complex device types. Health Technician (Pedorthist) independently takes scans and measurements; prepares and modifies casts and repairs and fabricates complex devices in accordance with the input of the individual providing clinical oversight. Health Technician (Pedorthist), GS-07 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. 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. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve as a full performance level 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) provides complex patient analyses in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions and interrelated conditions. They assess patients for indications/contra-indications. They analyze the potential use of new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative pedorthic devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-7. All qualifying experience and certifications that you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards 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.