Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Summary

The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) is posted within the Eye Clinic at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. The position is organizationally aligned under the Surgical Service, supervised by Section Chief, Optometry. Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologist and/or Optometrist in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling.

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Duties

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures, assists during clinic-based surgical procedures, educates patients and legal representatives, assists with the education of medical students and residents. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) may perform many "direct patient care services" under the supervision Ophthalmologists and/or Optometrists. At the full performance level of GS-8, major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmic screening instruments.
• Obtains patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs and symptoms; current medication allergies; past ocular and general medical history both ocular and general
• Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole
• Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder.
• Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation. Performs swinging flashlight test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect.
• Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter.
• Instills eye medications (drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cyloplegic drops, or antibiotics).
• Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry.
• Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature.
• Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using an IOL Master or equivalent device.
• Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines.
• Performs external photographs and fundus photography.
• Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve.
• Performs patient screening and triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions.
• Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery, including revision of wounds, biopsies of the eyelid lesions, cultures of conjunctive, or cornea; reformation of anterior chamber, evacuation of hyphema, repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts, intra-vitreous injections, and laser surgical procedures.
• Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.
• Assists in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations.
• Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection; calibration, maintenance, backup, and annual inventory and ordering of instruments, supplies and equipment; obtains quotes as needed; and reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Schedule may be subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 93754-; 93755A; 93756A; 93757A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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)

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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.
• Loss of Credentials. A Health Technician (Ophthalmology) who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 38 U.S.C. 7407(d)

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
• 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
• 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).

• 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.
• 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.
• Loss of Credentials. A Health Technician (Ophthalmology) who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

Grandfathering Provision. 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 :

Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-5 (Entry Level)

Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-6 (Developmental Level 1)

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following 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
4. Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment

Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-7 (Developmental Level 2)

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following 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
5. Ability to provide eye care patient education.

Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-8 (Full Performance Level)

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following 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
7. Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-8.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary but also requires some standing, walking, bending, lifting and carrying of light items. The work requires above average ability and dexterity. The work may require heavy lifting and carrying (45+ lbs); reaching above shoulder, use of fingers; both hands required; walking (5 hours); standing 92 hours); use of legs and arms; near vision correctable at 13' to 16' Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; specific visual requirement; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted). The incumbent in this position has the ability to ascertain details at close range (within a few feet of the observer), as well as the ability to listen to and understand the needs of others in a clinical environment. In this position he/she has ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small instrumentation. Associated with this is the ability to identify and manage essential patient information.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. A copy of your certificate/degree or screenshot of your current classes are not a replacement of your transcripts. Transcripts must include:

• Your Name
• Name of college or University
• Full address of the college or university
• Degree Received
• Date conferred

To meet qualification requirements, your resume should clearly identify the following information for each applicable degree:

• Name and location of the college or university
• Degree earned and the field of study
• Date the degree was conferred (month and year)

Please ensure this information is included directly on your resume so your education can be properly evacuated during the qualification review.

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

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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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