Health Technician-Prosthetic Eyeglass Program Coordinator
What you'd do
The incumbent is a member of the Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service at the Montana VA Health Care System providing comprehensive treatment of medical, surgical and long-term care patients. The primary purpose of Prosthetics Eyeglass Program Coordinator is responsibility for quality assurance activities, day-to-day operations, and administrative oversight of the MTVAHCS.
Major duties
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation. Major duties and responsibilities include: Coordinates with Community Care and the eyeglass vendor to ensure that policies on eyeglasses and other ophthalmic devices are adhered to and that all orders submitted are reviewed and processed appropriately in a timely fashion. Review and enter all received orders for eyeglasses into computer records system. Tracks eyeglass orders and ensures timely distribution of all eyeglasses received. Tracks, delegates and/or responds to complaints, audits, and requested information from external inquiries. Coordinates with vendor on any eyeglass order discrepancies; tracks all warranty returns. The incumbent is a Prosthetics point of contract to internal and external stakeholders for understanding and interpretation of the Prosthetics Eyeglass Program regulations and eligibility requirements for patients. The incumbent is the principal advisor to management on eyeglass contracting and procurement policies and issues that may arise during routine audits and reviews. The incumbent reviews all incoming prescriptions from the community care providers and Community Care services for accuracy and eligibility to ensure all fields are populated correctly. The incumbent will review all prescriptions for eyeglasses to ensure that the patient is receiving lens materials, lens designs, frames, tints and coating that they are eligible for and entitled to receive . Incumbent will let the provider know if a new consult is required to be entered as the original item selected is not an option per the vendor. The incumbent will make recommendations regarding the best ophthalmic lens and eyewear options for the patient's individual spectacle prescription and lifestyle should a prescription be received that conflicts with the examination notes and what the national vendor offers. These patient specific recommendations will be made with emphasis on patient safety, comfort and optimal visual function. Incumbent will let the provider know if a new consult needs to be entered as the originally selected item is not an option per the vendor. Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, their representatives, visitors, and all hospital staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Assists the eligible patient with questions on how to receive the prosthetic appliances, primarily glasses. 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. Work Schedule: Mon - Friday (8:00am - 4:30pm) Telework: ADHOC - This position may be authorized for ADHOC telework ONLY. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician-Prosthetic Eyeglass Program Coordinator/PD146750, PD146740, and PD146730 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/01/2026. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. English Language Proficiency. Health Technician (Optometry) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Health Technician, 0640 has a minimum qualification entry requirement. All applicants must meet this Individual Occupational Requirement regardless of grade level. You may qualify based on one of the following: Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): 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. OR, For GS-5 Education and Training: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), applicants must also meet the following grade requirements as outlined below: GS-05 Grade Requirement: Please select the statement below that best describes your experience to meet the specific qualification requirement for this grade level. Specialized Experience for GS-05: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician position. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of the mission, organization, and work processes of programs within a healthcare system; Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical programs; Knowledge of computer software to be able to pull reports and review statistical data; Ability to communicate orally and in writing and provides excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders; Skill to interpret pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents that affect the use of programs and related support resources in a Healthcare facility. Or, Education for GS-05: A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (Transcripts required). Or, Combination for GS-05: An equivalent combination of successfully completed level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. Determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5. (Transcripts required). GS-06 Grade Requirement: Please select the statement below that best describes your experience to meet the specific qualification requirement for this grade level. Specialized Experience for GS-06: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician position. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of the mission, organization, and work processes of programs within a healthcare system; Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical programs; Knowledge of computer software to be able to pull reports and review statistical data; Ability to communicate orally and in writing and provides excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders; Skill to interpret pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents that affect the use of programs and related support resources in a Healthcare facility. Or, Six months of graduate level education related to the position can be substituted for specialized experience. (Transcripts Required) GS-07 Grade Requirement: Please select the statement below that best describes your experience to meet the specific qualification requirement for this grade level. Specialized Experience for GS-07: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician position. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of the mission, organization, and work processes of programs within a healthcare system; Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical programs; Knowledge of computer software to be able to pull reports and review statistical data; Ability to communicate orally and in writing and provides excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders; Skill to interpret pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents that affect the use of programs and related support resources in a Healthcare facility. Or, One full year of graduate level education related to the position can be substituted for specialized experience. (Transcripts required) Preferred Experience: Prosthetics and Optics Knowledge: 1-2 years experience working within a healthcare setting, particularly in the area of eyeglasses and optical devices, including and understanding of the technical specifications and medical necessity criteria for various eyewear prescriptions. Quality Assurance in Healthcare: Some experience in coordination with community providers and vendors to ensure compliance with policies, timely distribution of medical devices, and handling of issues. Customer Service: Experience Healthcare Customer Service: Applicants must have experience providing customer service in a healthcare setting. This experience must include communicating with patients, managing patient expectations, and resolving patient issues related to medical devices or services, ensuring high level of patient satisfaction. 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/.
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