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

Administration & Operations; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bend VA Medical Center Eye Care Service is seeking a Health Technician (Dispensing Optician) to support patient care in ophthalmic services under supervision. The role involves assisting patients in selecting eyewear frames, measuring interpupillary distances, and helping with eyewear fitting and ordering.

Applicants must have English proficiency and at least one year of specialized experience at GS-5 level or equivalent, including documenting patient care in electronic records.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience: 1 year at GS-5 or equivalent in ophthalmic/health services.
• Experience in assisting patients with selecting eyewear and measuring interpupillary distances.
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).

Job description

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/.