Health Technician (Optician)

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

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Eye Care Optical Services seeking an Health Technician (Optician) to support the Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa, OK. The role includes providing eyeglasses for veterans and covering the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center Eye Clinic as needed.

Responsibilities include direct patient care in an eye clinic, maintaining patient records, and assisting with various ocular tests and measurements. Prior veteran care experience highly preferred.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience in eye care environments or similar setting.
• Experience measuring, fitting and adjusting eyeglasses; strong customer service.
• Experience with veterans or healthcare setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide optical services and eyeglasses for Veterans.
• Cover Eye Clinic at Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center as needed.
• Record patient information and schedule appointments; operate optical equipment.

Skills

Measuring eyeglasses

Eyeglasses fitting

Customer service

Optical knowledge

Education

Graduate education in optics (9 semester hours)

Tools

Optical equipment

Job description

This position is located within VA Eye Care Optical Services at the Ernest Childers Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic located in Tulsa OK. Will be required to cover theJack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center Eye Clinic when deemed necessary. As the Health Technician (Optician) is responsible for providing optical services and knowledge of opticianry services essential to the direction and operation. The primary reason for this position is to provide eyeglasses for our Veterans To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/02/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR).

This position has the following Individual Occupational Requirement: 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.

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 GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks (One Year) at the lowest grade of GS-05.

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: providing direct patient care in an eye clinic (or similar environment); obtaining patient medical history; documenting patient medical records; scheduling appointments; performing specialized ocular screening examination/tests.
• Experience working as an optician, including measuring, fitting, and adjusting eyeglasses; strong customer service skills; knowledge of optical equipment and prescriptions; experience working with veterans or in a healthcare setting is highly preferred.

NOTE

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.

Education

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a half year of graduate education (9 semester hours or equivalent) with a major that included courses directly related to the work of this position. Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

OR,

Combination

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelors degree which includes graduate courses directly related to the work of the position.

• Preferred Experience: Experience working as an optician, including measuring, fitting, and adjusting eyeglasses; strong customer service skills; knowledge of optical equipment and prescriptions; experience working with veterans or in a healthcare setting is highly preferred.
• Selective Placement Factor: Must have experience in measuring, fitting, and adjusting eyeglasses based on optical prescriptions. Experience with a variety of optical measurements (e.g., pupillary distance, vertex distance, segment heights) and accurate interpretation of optical prescriptions. Proficiency in adjusting and repairing eyeglasses, including working with both metal and plastic frames. Demonstrated customer service skills, especially in resolving patient concerns and providing education on eyewear.

• Quality Ranking Factor: Experience working in a healthcare or clinical setting and/or with veteran populations. Ability to use electronic health record systems and maintain accurate patient and inventory records. Skill in preparing detailed work orders for optical laboratories and collaborating effectively with lab technicians
• English Speaking Language Required
• Physical Demands: Able to stand and walk around freely to assist veterans daily. Would need to be able to lift 10-15 pounds as needed on infrequent basis.

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/