Health Technician (Orthopedic Fitter)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/25/2024. 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 the GS-7 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals and record boxes. 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/. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-07: Specialized Experience: You must at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal Service that has given you the technician experience that required application of the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Health Technician (Orthotic Fitter). Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: a working knowledge of human anatomy and application of correlating orthopedic supports, splinting, or other treatments related to injury of the human musculoskeletal system. Knowledgeable in the use of hand tools and machine tools including measurement and cutting instruments, drills, grinders, and sanders. Fabricates and repairs orthotics and adjusts orthopedic devices. Makes entries to patient chart to record provision of orthotic devices to patient and assists in the education of patient in use of device. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed one (1) year of graduate level education (or 18 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of the position to be filled. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combinations of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate education as described above to meet the total experience requirements to qualify at this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of this position.
The Health Technician – Orthopedic Fitter is assigned to Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service at the Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System. The incumbent will perform the repair, fabrication, fitting, and dispensing of orthotic appliances.