- Position Title
- Health Technician (Ophthalmology)
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBSW-12728918-25-GM Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Tuesday, April 22, 2025 to Monday, June 23, 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?
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
To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements.
Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a Health Technician - Ophthalmology on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification requirements. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Health Technicians - Ophthalmology who were appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of the qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) Health Technicians - Ophthalmology who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Please answer the following questions. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a Health Technician - Ophthalmology on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification requirements. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Health Technicians - Ophthalmology who were appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of the qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) Health Technicians - Ophthalmology who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Please answer the following questions. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
English Language Proficiency: Are you proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d)?
2.
Education and/or Experience Requirement:
Select the option that best describes your education and/or experience requirement:
- Experience: One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR;
- Education: Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a health care related degree. OR;
- Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below:
- Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school. OR;
- Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces. OR;
- Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.
Select the option that best describes your education and/or experience requirement:
3.
Certification Requirement: All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO). The COA certification is JCAHPO's entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology). NOTE: all certified applicants must provide proof of certification/ JCAHPO ID Number.
Exception: Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements may be appointed as a graduate Health Technician - Ophthalmology under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician - Ophthalmology that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist. The exception only applies below the full performance level of GS-8. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be certified. Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment.
Please select the response that best describes your certification.
Exception: Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements may be appointed as a graduate Health Technician - Ophthalmology under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician - Ophthalmology that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist. The exception only applies below the full performance level of GS-8. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be certified. Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment.
Please select the response that best describes your certification.
Grade Determination: Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
4.
Health Technician- Ophthalmology, GS-8 (Full Performance Level): This is considered to be the full performance level for this assignment. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures with responsibility for checking calibration of instruments prior to the procedure.
Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation.
- Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens.
- Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting.
- Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology.
- Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye.
- Knowledge of optics.
- Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.
RESUME REMINDER - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: * Job Title and a summary of duties. (be as detailed as possible) * Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) * Full-time or part-time status (MUST include hours worked per week if part-time). * 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.
- Transcript 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.