Summary The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Supervisory Prosthetics Representative and will perform duties as assigned in serving veterans with orthotic devices as prescribed by qualified clinicians. Performs independently, scheduling patients, evaluating, procurement and fitting of orthotic appliances. Such items include appliances such as, but not limited to, custom and non-custom in-depth orthotic and diabetic shoes, inserts and ankle foot orthoses (AFO's). Responsibilities Duties include, but are not limited to the following: Independently schedules and receives patients as required Orthotic clinics utilizing CPRS and creating encounters for proper clinical documentation in accordance with the National PAVE Directive. Utilize clinical and technical knowledge to educate patients in accordance with the issuance of orthotic devices. Assists the VA Department of Defense (DOD) Podiatrist to answer questions during non-standard procedures for customer Orthotics. Operates and maintains medical equipment for treatment procedures. Manages clinical environment in the treatment of patients with clinical needs. Ensure patient safety protocols are met in a clean environment. Fits multiple types of orthoses, impression casts feet for orthoses and measures feet for correct fit or special-order footwear (with computer or mechanical assistance) and ensures proper safety of devices issued. Documents clinical findings in CPRS of clinical conditions through clinical encounters as treated during fittings of such devices. Maintains certification of Orthotics Fitters instruction in accordance with Continuing Education requirements. Initiates procurement action, using the Purchase Card 95% of the time or more for all prosthetic devices, ensures purchase item contains the complete description of appliance or service, correct cost and vendor information. Maintains compliance with established National contracts, Federal Supply Schedules and VISN contracts and/or Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA) when procuring items and/or services for beneficiaries. Prepares amendments, addresses disputes and initiates communication or other action with the vendor as required to facilitate the purchase reconciliation process. Manage the basic orthotic soft goods inventory, by overseeing storage and availability of items at standard established PAR Levels. Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD08014-0 and PD08015-0 Physical Requirements & Work Environment: Work may involve frequent bending, stooping, stretching, etc., as well as repositioning patients. Manual dexterity in handling instruments is required. Work is performed in a patient care setting which exposes the employee to moderate risks, foot diseases and infections, which may require the use of gloves and gowns. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupational Requirement for Health Aid and Technician Series (0640): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and cannot be waived. 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. Selective Placement Factor: A selective placement factor is a knowledge, skill, or ability (KSA), or Federal or State requirement for licensure or certification that is essential for performing the duties and responsibilities of a particular position. Applicants who do not meet a selective placement factor will be assigned an ineligible rating and are screened out of the applicant pool. The selective placement factors for this Health Technician position are the following: Proficient in a set of standardized protocols, with the capability to instruct new clinic staff. Advanced expertise that enables the diagnosis of prevalent podiatric conditions and the execution of routine podiatric procedures that necessitate extensive training and experience. This includes skin and toenail debridement, management of high-risk foot clinic cases, minor wound debridement with appropriate risk assessment in line with the latest PAVE policy, as well as the application and removal of strappings, casts, braces, therapeutic devices, and compression wraps, along with addressing recurring issues. Demonstrates a solid understanding of the optimal use of both custom and non-custom orthotic devices for patients consistently. In addition to meeting the above: You may qualify for the GS-6 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level (GS-5) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health Technician. Qualifying specialized experience for this position includes, but is not limited to: knowledge regarding the mechanical function of Prosthetic and Sensory Aids appliances; ability to read and understand prescriptions and orthotic procedures to undertake the fitting of orthotic appliances; knowledge to access professional publications through internet and search engines and understand the sources to access the knowledge to fit the most complex patients as orthotic soft goods are concerned; the ability to work cooperatively with other staff at all management levels and to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level if you have successfully completed a half year of graduate education that is directly related to the work of a Health Technician. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 ONLY in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education that is directly related to work of the position. You may qualify for GS-7 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level (GS-6) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health Technician. Qualifying specialized experience for this position includes, but is not limited to: knowledge of and skill in applying an extensive body of rules, procedures, and operations of the Prosthetics/Sensory Aid Service with ability to teach these to clinic newcomers; practical knowledge of the instruments/devices and procedures of the Prosthetic/ Sensory Aid Services and skills to apply knowledge to adapt instruments to perform a full range of specialized non-routine procedures; practical knowledge of the intricate examinations or treatment procedures, associated with Prosthetics Care to perform a variety of specialized clinic procedures such as preliminary examination and evaluation of patients; ability to document clinical findings in CPRS of clinical encounters as treated during fittings of such devices. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level if you have successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education where it is directly related to the work of a Health Technician. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education that is directly related to work of the position. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-7 For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. Preferred Experience: Ability to independently manage the scheduling of patient appointments and assesses the procurement and fitting of orthotic devices. These devices encompass a range of items, including but not limited to custom and non-custom orthotics, diabetic shoes inserts, and ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). Ability to take foot measurements using electronic scanning technology and relevant software tailored to the specific item being fitted. Ability to select the appropriate off-the-shelf size and model or arrange for the procurement of customer orthotic devices as necessary for the patient. Ability to apply clinical and technical expertise to educate patients on effective foot care through the provision of orthotic devices. Ability of fitting various types of orthoses, creating impression casts of feet for orthotic purposes, and measuring feet for accurate fitting or special-order footwear, utilizing either computer or mechanical assistance, while ensuring the safety of the issued devices. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.