Health Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Helena (MT); On-site; USD 48,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The Health Technician position is located within the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Montana VA Health Care System, supporting veterans with prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehab equipment, and related services.

Applicants may qualify at GS-5, GS-6, or GS-7 with the required mix of specialized experience or education. Closing date is 11/12/2026.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4 or higher.
• Bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours in related subjects.
• Combination of education and experience acceptable.

Skills

Medical terminology

Customer service

CPRS

VistA

Microsoft Office

Attention to detail

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Related coursework (24 semester hours)

Tools

CPRS

VistA

APAT

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Health Technician position is located within the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Montana VA Health Care System and provides comprehensive support for Veterans requiring prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related services. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR):

The Health Aid and Technician Series, 0640 has a minimum qualification entry requirement:

• 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. OR,
• Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. AND,

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for GS-5 grade level as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 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 of the mission, organization, and work processes of the service and associated programs; knowledge of Federal laws, VA regulations, VHA directives, Prosthetic handbooks, business practice guidelines, and local policies governing prosthetic consult management, procurement, and program administration; knowledge of prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related prosthetic services; working knowledge of CPRS, VistA, APAT, Microsoft Office applications, and other Prosthetic information systems; ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, caregivers, Community Care personnel, clinical staff, vendors, and coworkers while providing customer service; and knowledge of the Privacy Act, medical record confidentiality, and information security requirements necessary to safeguard sensitive Veteran information. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses directly related to the occupation. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for the GS-6 grade level as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 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 of the mission, organization, and work processes of the service and associated programs; knowledge of Federal laws, VA regulations, VHA directives, Prosthetic handbooks, business practice guidelines, and local policies governing prosthetic consult management, procurement, and program administration; knowledge of prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related prosthetic services; working knowledge of CPRS, VistA, APAT, Microsoft Office applications, and other Prosthetic information systems; ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, caregivers, Community Care personnel, clinical staff, vendors, and coworkers while providing customer service; and knowledge of the Privacy Act, medical record confidentiality, and information security requirements necessary to safeguard sensitive Veteran information. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have six months of graduate-level education (usually 9 semester hours) with courses directly related to the occupation. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for the GS-7 grade level as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 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 of the mission, organization, and work processes of the service and associated programs; knowledge of Federal laws, VA regulations, VHA directives, Prosthetic handbooks, business practice guidelines, and local policies governing prosthetic consult management, procurement, and program administration; knowledge of prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related prosthetic services; working knowledge of CPRS, VistA, APAT, Microsoft Office applications, and other Prosthetic information systems; ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, caregivers, Community Care personnel, clinical staff, vendors, and coworkers while providing customer service; and knowledge of the Privacy Act, medical record confidentiality, and information security requirements necessary to safeguard sensitive Veteran information. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate-level education with courses directly related to the occupation. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements.

Preferred Experience:

Prior experience with a prosthetics and sensory aids service, particularly in the area of specialty items such as Podiatry, Rehab, and durable medical equipment; understanding of the technical specifications and medical necessity criteria for various specialty prescriptions; demonstrated experience in managing quality assurance programs within a healthcare setting involving coordination with community providers and vendors to ensure compliance with policies, timely distribution of medical devices, and handling of warranty issues.

Language Proficiency:

In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

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/.