Ophthalmic Assistant / Technician Pediatric Ophthalmology (Pittsburgh, PA)

Job Description

Job Description

Ophthalmic Assistant / Technician – Pediatric Ophthalmology (Pittsburgh, PA)

Role Type: Full-Time, Regular Employee (Permanent placement on company payroll, not contract/temp)

Shift: Daylight (Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM)

Work Arrangement: On-site (With approximately 10% – 20% travel to regional satellite clinics in Pine, South Fayette, and Monroeville to support operational coverage)

Location: Pittsburgh, PA 15224

New Hire Starting Salary Range: $21.14 – $28.14 per hour base wage (After hire, pay increases can be earned, see below).

About the Opportunity

This is a permanent, full-time career opportunity for a skilled clinical professional to join a premier pediatric ophthalmology practice. If selected, you will be hired directly as a regular employee of the organization we represent, placing you on their payroll and making you eligible for full corporate benefits from day one. This is not a temporary or contract assignment. Based primarily at our specialty clinical facility in Pittsburgh, this role offers a consistent, daylight schedule with no evening or weekend hours.

Purpose

The Ophthalmic Technician plays a vital role in delivering exceptional, compassionate patient care within a fast-paced, high-volume specialty clinic. Working in close collaboration with physicians and the clinical team, this position is responsible for initiating patient workups, performing detailed diagnostic testing, administering ocular drops, and managing efficient patient flow. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, patient-focused, and comfortable working with a diverse patient demographic, including children.

Responsibilities

• Comprehensive History Taking: Gathers and documents detailed patient histories, including chief complaints, ocular history, medical history, current medications, allergies, and family history.
• Visual Acuity Assessment: Performs precise visual acuity testing (distance, near, and intermediate) with and without correction, including pinhole testing, best-corrected visual acuity, potential acuity, and brightness acuity.
• Lensometry & Refractometry: Measures current spectacle prescriptions using both automated and manual lensometers, utilizes auto-refractors, and accurately transposes prescriptions between plus and minus cylinder forms.
• Ocular Diagnostic Assessments: Conducts pupillary evaluations, basic visual field testing (Amsler grid and confrontation fields), and ocular motility assessments (including cover tests, stereo-acuity, and assessing for nystagmus).
• Tonometry & Pressure Measurement: Performs accurate intraocular pressure measurements using ICare and Tonopen devices, ensuring meticulous cleaning and disinfection of all instruments between uses.
• Clinical Procedures & Support: Administers diagnostic eye drops and dilating agents under clinical direction, performs supplemental testing (color and glare tests), assesses anterior chamber angles, and assists with contact lens insertion, removal, and patient education.
• Clinic & Inventory Maintenance: Restocks exam rooms, sanitizes and sterilizes clinical instruments, cleans patient areas at the end of the day, and monitors medical inventory to ensure necessary clinical supplies are maintained.
• Regional Site Coverage: Travels to designated regional satellite offices (such as Pine, South Fayette, and Monroeville) approximately 10% to 20% of the time to assist with staffing coverage and ensure seamless patient care across the region.

Minimum Essential Requirements

• Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Professional Experience: Prior clinical experience as an Ophthalmic Technician within an ophthalmology practice, or an equivalent combination of related specialized education and clinical training.
• Software Mastery: Proficiency with electronic health records (EHR) and computerized ophthalmic diagnostic equipment.
• Core Skills: Strong interpersonal communication, a patient-centered approach to care, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to thrive in a highly collaborative, fast-paced medical setting.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances

• Completion of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Home Study Course is highly preferred.

Performance-Based Earning Potential

This position features an established corporate compensation structure designed to recognize clinical expertise, technical mastery, and tenure. Through excellent patient care delivery, ongoing professional development, and successful annual performance evaluations, ophthalmic technicians have the structural opportunity to progress up to $35.13 per hour over time within the organization's regional salary scale.

Premier Benefits

• Exceptional Retirement Package: Secure your future with retirement savings accounts featuring competitive company matching structures (up to 8% total contribution framework).
• Comprehensive Healthcare: Direct access to top-tier health, dental, and vision networks with comprehensive medical coverage options for you and your family.
• Generous Paid Time Off & Leave: Enjoy an exceptional PTO accrual structure, wellness programs, and paid parental leave to support an optimal work-life harmony.
• Tuition Assistance: Maximize your academic and professional trajectory with up to $6,000 per academic year in tuition reimbursement, plus exclusive tuition discounts at over 30 partner institutions.