Summary
Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care, and patient counseling. At the Advanced Level, the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs complex ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment. The higher-level duties consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety.
Duties
The GS-09 Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at the advanced level performs difficult ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Refractometry utilizing retinoscopy to determine spectacle prescription;
- Kinetic visual field testing (Goldmann);
- Intraocular pressure measurements by applanation tonometry and other current methods;
- Pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light, and accommodation, and any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect.
- Basic slit lamp biomicroscopy evaluation to check for abnormalities prior to dilation (i.e.: anterior chamber depth/iris anomalies).
- May perform advanced color vision testing of the entire visual spectrum to detect complex color vision defects such as monochromats, dichromats, and anomalous trichromats.
- Measures eyeglass prescriptions using a manual lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder.
- Performs A-scan ultrasonography, including intra-ocular lens calculations, using immersion A-scan on eyes with complex pathology such as corneal scarring, irregular and/or high astigmatism, zonular weakness, high refractive error that requires multiple alternative calculating formulas.
- Performs B-scan ultrasonography to identify intraocular masses or abnormalities.
- Determines the corneal curvature by either manual keratometry or automated topography.
- Performs fluorescein or indocyanine green (icg) angiography, with diagnostic photography of retinal vessels.
- Performs slit lamp photography.
- May perform anterior segment OCT, confocal microscopy, electroretinography, electrooculography, and visual evoked potential.
- Assists in minor clinical surgical procedures, including laser surgery and intravitreal injections. Scrub technician assists in main OR surgical procedures, set up of sterile fields, operation and maintenance of phacoemulsification and vitrectomy units, cryosurgery, endolaser units, all of which require a thorough understanding of complex instrumentation and the ability to troubleshoot problems quickly and efficiently during surgical procedures and care of instruments.
- Assists with the microbiology testing of patients with sight-threatening ocular infections, preparing instrumentation and media for intraocular biopsy and/or culture. Performs thorough preparatory cleaning of critical reusable medical equipment in the operating room.
- Responsible for training other health technicians (ophthalmology).
- Other duties as assigned.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Work Schedule: 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM, 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 Eligible.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 688-25185-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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.
- You may be required to serve a trial period.
- 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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).
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.
- Experience and Education:
- 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:
- (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).
- English Language Proficiency. Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 38 U.S.C. 7407(d).
Grade Determinations:
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:
- Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation;
- Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens;
- Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting;
- Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology;
- Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye;
- Knowledge of optics; and
- Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.
Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-9 (Advanced Level)
- Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level.
- Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following GS-09 KSAs:
- Knowledge of advanced clinical optics, advanced ocular motility, advanced diagnostic testing, and microbiology testing.
- Knowledge of ophthalmic surgical instruments.
- Knowledge of appropriate preparatory cleaning of reusable medical equipment.
- Ability to assist in ophthalmic surgical procedures performed in the main operation room.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is at the GS-09 level.
Physical Requirements: Have the mental, emotional, and physical ability to perform the duties of the proposed assignment satisfactorily and to pass the requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
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.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
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, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on a resume or during an interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
- Cover Letter
- Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action ( for Eligibility):
- Most recent SF-50 (2025) if you are a current or former Federal employee
- An SF-50 showing your one year of experience eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not demonstrate that you possess one year of experience, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly shows one year of experience
- Award 50s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted to verify one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
- Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
- Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old or
- SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date of more than one year old.
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
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
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/22/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12793216.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers, and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP includes all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers, and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows, and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.