To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/09/2025.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS8. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade 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 clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS8 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Nursing, Medical Assistant, Surgical Specialty, Health Technician experience. Preferred experience includes supervisory experience. OR,
- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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,
- Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described below:
- Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or
- 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
- Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
- Administration and Management
- Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
- Infection Control
- Manages and Organizes Information
- Technical Competence
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; religions; spiritual; 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.
Note:
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Physical Requirements: Work is generally performed in the Specialty Care clinics, inpatient unit, or an office setting. A moderate amount of walking, sitting, bending, standing, lifting and positioning patients, carrying light items such as papers, files, and miscellaneous materials.
Work Environment
Most work is performed in a properly heated and ventilated, air conditioned, and well-lighted clinical or office setting.
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/.