HEALTH TECHNICIAN (OPHTHALMOLOGY)

Summary

The Saint Louis VA Health Care System is seeking a highly-skilled, Dynamic Ophthalmology Technician to Join our Surgery team in the delivery of high-quality patient-centered care to our Veteran. Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists and Optometrists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care, and patient counseling.

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Duties

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GS-5 (entry level): This level will respond to the needs of the staff ophthalmologists, the supervisory technician or other designated administrative supervisor who will maintain daily supervision and guidance. Limited routine assignments under daily direct supervision is an integral part of the position. Deviations from unanticipated problems and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or help. The GS-5 Entry Level Ophthalmology Technician is ultimately responsible to the Ophthalmology Technician Supervisor, the Ophthalmology Program Coordinator (if present) and the Chief of Ophthalmology.

GS-6 (Development Level 1): Will respond to the needs of the staff ophthalmologists, the supervisory technician or other designated administrative supervisor who will maintain daily supervision and guidance. Basic screening assignments under daily direct supervision is an integral part of the position. Deviations from regular procedures, unanticipated problems, complex patients and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or assistance. The GS-6 Developmental Level 1 Ophthalmology Technician is ultimately responsible to the Ophthalmology Technician Supervisor, the Ophthalmology Program Coordinator (if present) and the Chief of Ophthalmology.

GS-7 (Developmental Level 2): will respond to the needs of the staff ophthalmologists, the supervisory technician or other designated administrative supervisor who will maintain daily supervision and guidance. Basic screening assignments under daily direct supervision is an integral part of the position. Deviations from regular procedures, unanticipated problems, complex patients and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or assistance. The GS-7 Developmental Level 2 Ophthalmology Technician is ultimately responsible to the Ophthalmology Technician Supervisor, the Ophthalmology Program Coordinator (if present) and the Chief of Ophthalmology.

GS-8 (Full Performance Level): Will respond to the needs of the staff ophthalmologists, the supervisory technician, or other designated administrative supervisor who will maintain daily supervision and guidance. Independent work is an integral part of the position. Accuracy of work up is also an integral part of this performance level - the providers must be able to accept the technician's collected data without rechecking the work.The technician plans and carries out examinations in line with training and accepted practices, follows protocols accurately, and may independently makes recommendations about clinical situations, procedures or changes to procedures in some situations. The technician uses methods, recognizes conditions that cause erroneous results or creates dangerous situations, and may independently troubleshoot clinic problems and complex instruments. The technician resolves most differences that arise with patients, coordinates work with others as necessary and interprets policy such as eligibility for prosthetic devices. The ophthalmology technician is ultimately responsible to the Ophthalmology Program Coordinator (if present), the Chief of Ophthalmology, or the Clinical Director of TECS.

Work Schedule : 7:30am-4:00pm Monday-Friday

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 [work experience] or 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 # : 000000

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship : Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency : Must be proficient in both spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph3j, and Appendix G52.
• 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: (a) Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or (b) 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 (c) Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.
• Certification : 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).
  • (1) 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. 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
  • (2) Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) must actively pursue meeting certification requirements starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the uncertified Health Technician (Ophthalmology) with the written requirement to obtain certification, the date by which the certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-0640 series and may result in termination of employment.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must also meet the following grade-level requirements:

GS-05 (Entry Level) : None beyond the basic requirements listed above.

GS-06 (developmental level 1) : One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 level. AND

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). If the experience is not detailed in your resume, then it is recommended to update your resume and/or include a separate document that speaks to the below list of KSAs.

1. Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment;
2. Ability to obtain, document and record demographic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate medical record;
3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment; and
4. Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment.

GS-07 (developmental level 2) : One year of experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level. AND

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). If the experience is not detailed in your resume, then it is recommended to update your resume and/or include a separate document that speaks to the below list of KSAs.

1. Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology;
2. Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment;
3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing;
4. Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting; and
5. Ability to provide eye care patient education.

GS-08 (full performance level) : Certification is required at this level, no exceptions. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level. AND

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). If the experience is not detailed in your resume, then it is recommended to update your resume and/or include a separate document that speaks to the below list of KSAs.

1. Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation;
2. Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens;
3. Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting;
4. Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology;
5. Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye;
6. Knowledge of optics; and
7. Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience performing complex ophthalmic diagnostic testing, including visual acuity, refraction, pupil evaluation, intraocular pressure measurement (Goldmann applanation), pachymetry, keratometry, corneal topography, and intraocular lens (IOL) calculations.
• Proficiency with ophthalmic imaging technologies such as OCT (retina, optic nerve, and anterior segment), automated visual field testing, external photography, and fundus photography.
• Experience assisting with clinic-based ophthalmic procedures (e.g., intravitreal injections, laser treatments, minor surgical procedures, wound revisions, biopsies, cultures).
• Experience educating patients and caregivers on eye care, pre-operative and post-operative instructions, and clinic processes.
• Certification and Professional Development Commitment Current COA certification.
• Documented progression toward ophthalmic certification through JCAHPO.
• Technical Competency With Clinical Information Systems. Experience using an electronic health record systems for documentation, ordering, and accessing patient information.
• Equipment Calibration, Troubleshooting, and Maintenance Skills
• Skill in calibrating ophthalmic instruments, identifying erroneous results, troubleshooting technical issues, and maintaining proper inventory and equipment readiness.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-08.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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: 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:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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