Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Health Technician - Optometry
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSU-12122675-23-PN Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 to Wednesday, September 20, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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3. Are you a current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduate?

An HPT may be VA-paid, Without Compensation (WOC), or a participant of the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program that has been appointed to a temporary position in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experience to satisfy program or degree requirements.

To verify your standing as a current/past/upcoming HPT graduate, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50), the FL-294 (or a WOC appointment letter).
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Preferences
1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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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)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
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.

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.
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Accuracy of Application Reminder:
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
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Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in the position of Health Technician - Optometry GS-0640-00, with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Please answer the questions listed below. (limit characters)
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: (limit characters)
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.
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1. Select the appropriate answer based on your level of experience and/or education. (limit characters)
GRADE DETERMINATIONS: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following questions are used in determining the grade of candidates. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
2. GS-4 Education/Experience: None beyond the basic requirements noted above.

Do you meet the experience or education as noted above?
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3. GS-5 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Do you possess the experience at the GS-5 level as stated above?
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4. GS-5 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): The following KSAs are required at the GS-5 grade level for the Health Technician-Optometry
(a) Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function.
(b) Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note.
(c) Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting.
(d) Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures.
(e) Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs, such as replacing nose pads and screws.

Do you possess all these KSA's at the GS-5 level?
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5. GS-6 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Do you possess the experience at the GS-6 level as stated above?
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6. GS-6 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): The following KSAs are required at the GS-6 grade level for the Health Technician-Optometry
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) 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.
(d) Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests.
(e) Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms.

Do you possess all these KSA's at the GS-6 level?
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7. GS-7 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Do you possess the experience at the GS-7 level as stated above?
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8. GS-7 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): The following KSAs are required at the GS-7 grade level for the Health Technician-Optometry
(a) 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.
(b) 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.).
(c) Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near).
(d) Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures.
(e) Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears.
(f) Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions.

Do you possess all these KSA's at the GS-7 level?
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Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: - Job title - Duties (be as detailed as possible) - Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) - Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week). This information is used to verify qualifications and accreditation. 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. 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. Please make sure you submit all required documentation before the closing date of the announcement! (limit characters)
Transcripts Reminder - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) you must submit a copy of your transcripts (official or unofficial) with your application. Be sure your name, name of the school attended, dates attended, and any degree conferred, or certificate issued is stated on the transcript. (limit characters)