- Position Title
- Optometrist (Clinical)
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBSZ-12715283-25-NAS Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Thursday, March 20, 2025 to Monday, April 21, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
2.
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.
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.
3.
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.
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.
4.
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).
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).
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.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Your resume must be submitted in English and 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.
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).
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in an Optometrist position with the VHA. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA Optometrist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. SS 7402. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of Optometrist in VHA must meet the following requirements.
NOTE: Current VA employees and other current federal employees must submit appropriate SF-50s as outlined in the announcement or will be found ineligible
The following questions will address basic eligibility requirements for the Optometrist position. Please select the appropriate answer for the following question(s).
NOTE: Current VA employees and other current federal employees must submit appropriate SF-50s as outlined in the announcement or will be found ineligible
The following questions will address basic eligibility requirements for the Optometrist position. Please select the appropriate answer for the following question(s).
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
Language: Optometrists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
Do you meet this requirement?
Do you meet this requirement?
2.
Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens)
Do you meet this requirement?
Do you meet this requirement?
3.
Education: Degree of doctor of optometry resulting from a course of education in optometry in required. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools or colleges approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:
1. United States and Canadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association, in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
AND
2. Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia as qualifying for full or unrestricted licensure.
Transcripts are Required to Verify Your Education
Do you meet this requirement?
1. United States and Canadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association, in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
AND
2. Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia as qualifying for full or unrestricted licensure.
Transcripts are Required to Verify Your Education
Do you meet this requirement?
4.
Licensure: Licensed to practice optometry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Optometrists are required to possess full and unrestricted licensure and to maintain a current registration in their State of licensure if this is a requirement of the particular State. The facility Director may waive this requirement if the optometrist is to serve in a country other than the United States and the optometrist has licensure in that country.
A Copy of Your License is Required to Verify Licensure
Do you meet this requirement?
A Copy of Your License is Required to Verify Licensure
Do you meet this requirement?
5.
Grade Requirements VP-12: Full Grade
Two years of optometric practice or its equivalent. One year of approved residency training or its creditable equivalent acceptable to the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association is acceptable in lieu of the 2 years of practice. Candidate must have demonstrated the professional competence and performance necessary to provide independently the full range of clinical optometric diagnosis and treatment for all the most prevalent types of vision dysfunctions and the detection and referral of patients with ocular disease or ocular manifestations of systemic disease.
Your Resume/CV Must Show Relevant Experience and Duration of Experience
Do you meet the grade requirements for the Full Grade?
Two years of optometric practice or its equivalent. One year of approved residency training or its creditable equivalent acceptable to the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association is acceptable in lieu of the 2 years of practice. Candidate must have demonstrated the professional competence and performance necessary to provide independently the full range of clinical optometric diagnosis and treatment for all the most prevalent types of vision dysfunctions and the detection and referral of patients with ocular disease or ocular manifestations of systemic disease.
Your Resume/CV Must Show Relevant Experience and Duration of Experience
Do you meet the grade requirements for the Full Grade?
6.
Grade Requirements VP-13: Intermediate Grade - Meets the requirements in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) below:
Do you meet the grade requirements for the Intermediate Grade?
- Four years of optometric practice or its equivalent. One year of approved residency training or its creditable equivalent acceptable to the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association is acceptable in lieu of 2 years of practice
- The optometrist at this level has successfully passed the examinations of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and has attained either of the following:
- The stature that would warrant appointment at the clinical instructor or higher level at a school or college of optometry
- The professional ability and personal attributes which have merited significant recognition by a recognized professional organization, such as election to a Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry
- Has achieved a high level of professional attainment as illustrated by one or more of the following examples:
- Is a recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of unusual and complicated visual dysfunctions. Typically, in this capacity serves as a consultant to optometrist and other professionals in other health facilities or provides expert clinical services in such areas as the partially sighted or contact lenses for aphasics.
- Has assumed responsibility for a multi-faceted optometric program including clinical research and/or training requiring a high degree of competence and skill in developing innovative and new and advanced instrumentation and treatment techniques. Typically, the program is in an educationally affiliated health care facility having an optometric training program of moderate scope involving liaison with other medical services and affiliated schools.
- Has played a significant part in the conduct of vision research in a problem area of considerable scope and complexity which required novel approaches and which resulted in answers to important questions or important changes in existing methods and techniques. Publications authored by the optometrist are of considerable value to others in the individual's field. Typically, overall contributions are recognized by serving on important committees or other bodies in the profession.
- Has had full responsibility for carrying out an optometric training program of significant size in which the optometrist has been responsible for maintaining liaison with the affiliated school and other educational institutions and professional or scientific organizations. Innovative approaches in development of curriculum and course content and in expanding and improving the educational program have been displayed by the individual.
Do you meet the grade requirements for the Intermediate Grade?
7.
Grade Requirements VP-14: Senior Grade - Meets the requirements for Intermediate Grade and the requirements in paragraphs (1) and (2) below:
Do you meet the grade requirements for the Senior Grade?
- The optometrist at this level possesses such academic stature as would warrant a faculty appointment of a professional level in an approved school or college of optometry.
- Has demonstrated recognized superior professional attainment as evidenced by one or more of the following examples:
- Has served as a team leader in attacking major optometric problems affecting the continued provision of quality care health services at a VISN, statewide, or national level. There is such confidence in the optometrist at this level that there is unusual support of the individual's recommendations and conclusions.
- Has had responsibility for carrying out a major optometric program segment on a national level.
- Has conducted high level studies in a difficult area of vision research which has contributed to a substantial advance in the health field, with important professional publications.
Do you meet the grade requirements for the Senior Grade?
Transcript and License Reminder: Due to the positive transcript and license requirement, a copy of these documents must be submitted with your application. Applications will not be considered without appropriate supporting documents.