Health Technician (Optician)

Summary

This position is located within VA Eye Care Optical Services at the Ernest Childers Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. Will be required to cover the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center Eye Clinic when deemed necessary . As the Optician the incumbent is responsible for providing optical services and knowledge of opticianry services essential to the direction and operation. The primary reason for this position is to provide eyeglasses for our Veterans.

Duties

Major Duties include but are not limited to: Independently provides direct patient care services related to patient education, selection, ordering, verification, troubleshooting, adjustment and repair of ophthalmic lenses and eyewear. Takes measurements of interpupillary distances, optical centers, and multifocal or progressive addition lens segment heights will be accurately obtained and documented. Adjust eyeglasses for comfortable fit and proper alignment of optical centers and segment heights for optimal visual performance and will instruct/educate patients on how to wear and care for eyeglasses. Will have the skills to repair broken or defective eyeglasses. Acts the front-line staff member for patients with concerns regarding eyewear and will triage patient concerns by manual or automated lensometry verification, troubleshooting all optical issues and verify with that eyeglass fabrication is completed as prescribed. Consistently communicates and treats Veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner and handles conflict and Veteran concerns constructively and appropriately. Documents patient care activities properly and clearly in the patient's electronic record in a timely manner. Tracks eyeglass orders weekly for verification of receipt of consult and obtain tracking information as needed to assist the Veteran. Notifies Veteran's when eyeglasses are ready for pickup. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am- 4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Optician)/PD13166A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2026. Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements applicants must also meet the specialized experience requirement. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS -05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: working knowledge to design, measure fit frames, preparing work orders, eye glass repairs, record maintenance, bookkeeping, insurance submissions and authorization request, customer service, administrative duties such as inventory records, tracking of orders and other administrative duties as it pertains to this health tech Optician vacancy. Selective Placement Factor: Must have experience in measuring, fitting, and adjusting eyeglasses based on optical prescriptions. Experience with a variety of optical measurements (e.g., pupillary distance, vertex distance, segment heights) and accurate interpretation of optical prescriptions. Proficiency in adjusting and repairing eyeglasses, including working with both metal and plastic frames. Demonstrated customer service skills, especially in resolving patient concerns and providing education on eyewear. Quality Ranking Factor: Experience working in a healthcare or clinical setting and/or with veteran populations. Ability to use electronic health record systems and maintain accurate patient and inventory records. Skill in preparing detailed work orders for optical laboratories and collaborating effectively with lab technicians. Ability to multitask and manage time efficiently in a high-volume, fast paced environment. Knowledge of and ability to stay current with optical products, lens technologies, and frame styles. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.