Health Technician

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2024. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-05: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement. Knowledge in types of disabilities, and skills in the fabrications of devices. Resolving a variety of shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations. Purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of a purchase card. Performing inventory maintenance by applying supply accountability regulations, warehousing procedures and safety regulations regarding storage of equipment and supplies. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with courses related to the occupation. 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 2 years of course of study above high school with courses related to the occupation. Specialized Experience GS-06: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assembling and/or summarizing information from files and documents to create reports utilizing automated computerized supply/inventory management systems and Microsoft Office software programs such as MS Word and Excel. Troubleshooting and repairing a wide variety of standard and custom medical equipment. Knowledge of medical terms used to prescribe/describe equipment and the sources for which the repairs can be obtained. Reading and understanding prescriptions and orthotic procedures to undertake the fitting of orthotic appliances. Use of the following Computer software programs required to complete patient processing in Prosthetics: Prosthetic Inventory Package (PIP); Prosthetic National Computer Package (VA DALC) and (ROES); CPRS & HCPC Codes; National Prosthetic Patient Data Base (NPPD). Specialized Experience GS-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Independently perform the repair, fabrication, fitting, and dispensing of orthotic appliances. Accurately creating and independently signing progress notes in CPRS. Compiling, recording, reviewing, selecting, and interpreting medical data and information incidental to a variety of patient care and treatment activities. Creating and completing work orders for custom items or custom modifications. Assisting in managing orthotic and prosthetic inventory. Preferred Experience: Working knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology/Medical Terminology, Strong Customer Service Skills and Patience Experience. ABC/BOC Certified Orthotic Fitter, ABC Certified Therapeutic Shoe Fitter, and knowledge of Orthotics and Prosthetics. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Interpersonal Skills Manages Resources Medical Information Quality Assurance Technical Competence 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. 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. Physical Requirements: The position demands a moderate degree of exertion and high degree of dexterity; long periods of standing and long-distance walking may be required. 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 Health Technician position is located in the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network in San Diego, CA. The incumbent collaborates in a team-oriented, customer-driven, professional environment to develop new models of care that emphasize prevention, improve access and coordination of care and enhance the customer experience with positive human interactions and therapeutic alliances. They will demonstrate flexibility, integrity, and accountability.