Lead Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Veterans Health Administration • Goose Creek, SC

9d • Onsite

About The Position

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care, and patient counseling. At the Advanced Level, Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) perform complex ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude to exercise independent judgment. The role includes advanced diagnostic testing and technical support for ophthalmic care and surgery. The full performance level is GS-09.

The schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling, telework, and virtual work are not available. The position requires some physical exertion, including prolonged standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items or assisting patients. Above-average agility and dexterity are also required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Certification as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).
• One year of experience in a health care field, or two years of education above high school with at least six semester hours directly related to a health care field, or an associate degree in a health care field, or a qualifying combination of experience and education.
• For GS-09: at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-08 level, in addition to the basic requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a team to provide technical guidance and plan, organize, and coordinate ophthalmology technician activities, including workload distribution and monitoring work progress and accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively to meet program objectives, including preparing reports and presenting data.
• Demonstrated ability to assist with staff development, outcome management, and strategic planning.
• Demonstrated ability to act as a liaison and resolve informal employee complaints and concerns.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination and meet applicable background, security, drug-testing, and onboarding requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA health care personnel.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• Applicants must complete the application requirements detailed in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Leadership experience in Technology-based Eye Care Services.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate pupils, record size, shape, symmetry, and reactions to light and accommodation, and perform the swinging light test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect.
• Perform advanced color vision testing across the visual spectrum to detect complex color vision defects.
• Perform refractometry using retinoscopy to determine spectacle prescriptions.
• Measure eyeglass prescriptions with a manual lensometer and record sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in plus and minus cylinder.
• Perform A-scan ultrasonography and intraocular lens calculations, including immersion A-scan for eyes with complex pathology and use of alternative calculation formulas as needed.
• Perform B-scan ultrasonography to identify intraocular masses or abnormalities.
• May assist as a scrub technician during main operating room procedures; set up sterile fields; and operate, maintain, and troubleshoot phacoemulsification and vitrectomy units, cryosurgery, and endolaser equipment.
• Assist with microbiology testing for sight-threatening ocular infections and prepare instrumentation and media for intraocular biopsy or culture.
• Provide technical guidance and help plan, organize, and coordinate Health Technician (Ophthalmology) activities, including distributing workload and monitoring work status, progress, and accuracy.
• Communicate effectively to meet program objectives, including preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to different organizational levels.
• Assist with Health Technician (Ophthalmology) development, outcome management, and strategic planning.
• Act as a liaison between Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) to resolve informal employee complaints and concerns.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Prior work or military service may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed