Health Technician (Optician)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Dayton VA Medical Center seeks a Health Technician (Optician) to translate prescriptions into accurately measured, ordered, verified eyewear and provide ophthalmic support for Veterans.

Responsibilities include measuring pupillary distance, frame selection, lens design, verification and fitting, with care for patient education and documentation in the electronic health record.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience in ophthalmic dispensing and optical technology.
• Education may substitute for experience if directly related; transcript required when using education to qualify.
• Combination of education and experience allowed per standards.

Responsibilities

• Interpret spectacle prescriptions and obtain precise optical measurements.
• Provide ophthalmic services, frame and lens selection, and order tracking.
• Document optical services and assist with fitting, adjustment, and repair of eyewear.

Skills

Ophthalmic dispensing

Frame and lens measurements

Veteran optical services

Tools

Lensometry

Optical measuring devices

Job description

The Dayton VA Medical Center's Surgical Service- Eye Care is recruiting for a well-qualified Health Technician (Optician), responsible for ophthalmic dispensing and optical services for Veterans; supporting the eye-care team by translating prescriptions into accurately measured, ordered, verified, fitted, adjusted, and repaired eyewear. Work is primarily in the Medical Center optical and eye-care settings and Community Based Outpatient Clinics, inpatient areas, or other VA locations. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/09/2026.

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 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: comprehensive practical knowledge of ophthalmic dispensing and optical technology sufficient to independently perform the full range of duties associated with complex spectacle prescriptions and Veteran optical services; knowledge of veteran optical benefits, ordering processes, fabrication-laboratory requirements, quality tolerances, warranty/remake practices, and documentation requirements; work involving varied and complex combinations of prescription interpretation, optical measurement, frame selection, lens design, fabrication requirements, verification, fitting, adjustment, repair, troubleshooting, documentation, and patient communication. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required at this grade level only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. If you are basing your qualifications on education, a transcript MUST be included with your application, prior to the closing of the announcement. It is the applicant's responsibility to submit a complete application package. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education listed.

Preferred Experience: One year of specialized experience providing optical or ophthalmic support services. Specialized experience includes interpreting spectacle prescriptions; obtaining ophthalmic measurements such as pupillary distance, optical center, segment or progressive fitting heights, and frame measurements; assisting patients with frame and lens selection; entering, reviewing, and tracking eyewear orders; verifying completed eyewear using lensometry or other optical measuring devices; fitting, adjusting, and repairing spectacles; troubleshooting eyewear, prescription, fit, or fabrication problems; providing patient education regarding eyewear use, care, and adaptation; and documenting optical services in an electronic health record or other approved system.

Selective Placement Factor. The employee has demonstrated experience performing ophthalmic dispensing duties that include interpreting spectacle prescriptions, obtaining precise optical measurements, and fitting and adjusting prescription eyewear.

Quality Ranking Factor. The employee has demonstrated experience independently performing a broad range of ophthalmic dispensing services for patients with routine and complex spectacle prescriptions, including advanced optical measurements, progressive or multifocal lens fitting, eyewear verification using lensometry, complex frame adjustments and repairs, and troubleshooting prescription, fitting, adaptation, or fabrication problems.

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/.

The employee is required to operate a government-owned/-leased motor vehicle to properly carry out their assigned duties. You may be required to provide their license at the time of interview. A clean driving record report from the DMV and a copy of their driver's license will be required during the online onboarding process. Please provide your driver's license number, issuing state and expiration date within your hiring assessment.