Health Technician (Ophthalmic/Refractive) Job in Tacoma, WA

Vacancy No. HSJG250130189288HW Department Military Treatment Facilities under DHA
Salary $45,331.00 to $73,003.00 Grade 5 to 7
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/27/2025 Close Date 9/9/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Tacoma, WA


Summary

About the Position: This position is located in the Department of Surgery at the Army Medical Center Madigan, in Tacoma, WA.

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation

  • A recruitment incentive may be authorized.
  • Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service.

Duties

  • Obtain and records patients ophthalmic complaints and symptoms on clinic record.
  • Record visual acuity, current lens prescription, past medical history, past ophthalmic history, family medical history, allergy history, and additional medical information
  • Perform ultrasonography, sets up ophthalmic ultrasound equipment for diagnostic use by the physician and performs routine cleaning of the ultrasound probes.
  • Serve as first surgical assistant and as scrub assistant to the surgeon in major and minor surgical procedures.
  • Perform tasks such as administer pre-laser medication, change dressings, and suture removal.
  • Schedule patients in appropriate length appointments to perform the necessary diagnostic tests , maintaining files of pertinent test results, and record information in the Medical Record.
  • Responsible for the care of instruments including sterile technique and case set up.
  • Assist in the postoperative instruction of the patient.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • This position requires regular contact with children under the age 18 and a favorable determination of suitability to do so and requires Child Background check.
  • This position requires Basic Life Support training certification from, or in accordance with, the American Heart Association and American Red Cross. Current Advanced Life Support or other advanced certification does not supersede BLS completion.
  • This position has a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination requirement and is subject to annual vaccination.
  • This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination
  • Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption.
  • This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing. Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing.
  • Specific initial background investigation and periodic re-verification requirements since its duties require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age on a recurring basis.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Required to be screened for and obtain necessary immunizations/vaccinations (hepatitis, influenza, etc.), unless exempted by a licensed physician.
  • This position Mission Essential (The incumbent will be required to report to work during times of contingency operations, natural disasters, extreme weather, or other emergency situations.
  • TDY/Travel 5%
  • Moderate to heavy lifting up to 15 pounds is required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education/experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Health Technician (Opthalmic/Refractive) GS-05:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assisting in patient services in an eye clinic such as scheduling appointments and preparing operating rooms. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04).

OR

Education: Four-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position, such as Health Technician, Health care technician. (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcript).

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years (total semester hours minus 60) by 60. Add the two percentages

Health Technician (Opthalmic/Refractive) GS-06:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assisting ophthalmic medical staff with setting up surgical equipment or instruments in the operating room. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Health Technician (Opthalmic/Refractive) GS-07:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assist in performing ophthalmic/refractive medical procedures such as eye examination, diagnostic tests using ophthalmic ultrasound equipment and other related instruments. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • Recruitment or relocation incentives MAY be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.

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.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Transcripts:This position has an individual occupational allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/09/2025to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12789288).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
JT-DD83DE INDO PAC DHN - MADIGAN
DO NOT MAIL
Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98431
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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