Health Technician (Optician) Intermittent (Not to exceed 1 year)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Bend VA Medical Center seeks a Health Technician (Dispensing Optician) to join the Eye Care Service - Operative Care Division.

This intermittent position supports patient education, lens fitting, and eyewear repairs under supervision, with a not-to-exceed-1-year appointment. Applicants must meet English proficiency requirements and have specialized experience equivalent to GS-5.

Qualifications

• English language proficiency required for direct patient care per 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 in medical/health support roles.
• Experience applying ophthalmic knowledge to lenses, frames, and eye care equipment.

Responsibilities

• Independently provide direct patient care related to education, selection, ordering, verification, troubleshooting, adjustment and repair of ophthalmic lenses and eyewear.
• Perform supervised technical procedures to support optometrists/ophthalmologists with eye care data and services.
• Educate patients on lens materials, designs, frames, tints, and coatings.
• Obtain interpupillary distances, optical centers, and segment heights for multifocal lenses.
• Assist patients with selecting and ordering proper fitting eyewear frames; repair eyewear as needed.
• Triage patient concerns and document in the electronic patient record.

Skills

English proficiency

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Verbal/written English

Tools

Ophthalmic instrumentation

Job description

Summary

The Health Technician (Dispensing Optician) works as a member of the Eye Care Service - Operative Care Division under the supervision of the Supervisory Optician at the Bend - OR VA Medical Center. This is an intermittent not to exceed 1 year position.

Summary

The Health Technician (Dispensing Optician) works as a member of the Eye Care Service - Operative Care Division under the supervision of the Supervisory Optician at the Bend - OR VA Medical Center. This is an intermittent not to exceed 1 year position.
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet specialize experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement - 10/30/2026.
English 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. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. In addition to the English language proficiency requirement - applicants must meet the specialized experience listed 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: 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. You MUST possess at least one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of Health Technician (Optician) position - and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable - this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Assisting patients in the selection - proper fitting and ordering of standard or safety eye wear frames; educating patients on ophthalmic lens materials - designs - and frames; properly using and maintaining ophthalmic instrumentation and equipment; measuring interpupillary distances - optical centers - and multi focal or progressive addition lens segment heights; adjusting - repairing and fitting eyewear; responding to telephone - electronic and in-person inquiries; and documenting all patient care activities in the electronic patient record. 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. 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. 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/.

Qualifications

Duties

• This is an open-continuous announcement
• Positions will be filled as they become available
• The first cut-off date to consider applications for referral to the selecting official will be October 5 - 2026 - the remaining cut-off dates will be at 2-week intervals
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Independently provide direct patient care services related to patient education - selection - ordering - verification - troubleshooting - adjustment and repair of ophthalmic lenses and eyeweyr
• Performs supervised routine and advanced technical procedures to provide optometrists and ophthalmologists with information and data necessary to assist with delivery of comprehensive eye and vision care services
• Educates patients on lens materials - lens designs - frames - tints - and coatings they are eligible to receive
• Obtains measurements of interpupillary distances - optical centers - and multifocal or progressive addition lens segment heights
• Assists patients with the selection and ordering of proper fitting standard or safety eyewear frames
• Repair broken or defective eyeglasses
• Triage patient concerns by manual or automated lensometry verification and troubleshooting protocol
• Resolves patient concerns and acts as a patient advocate
• Monitors patients for adverse reactions and takes corrective action based on established policy
• Medication reconciliation will be performed
• Responsible for the proper use and maintenance of all instrumentation and equipment required for the performance of the patient care duties
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Intermittent
• 0830-1700 Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Optician) Intermittent (Not to exceed 1 year)/PD20589A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized