SUMMARY

This position is within the Ophthalmology department at the San Francisco Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center or a community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC). The Ophthalmology Health Technician plays a crucial role within the eye care team, overseeing and coordinating patient flow. Key responsibilities include training team members, effectively communicating with Optometrist/Ophthalmologist, ensuring compliance with best practices and protocols, and promoting a collaborative work atmosphere.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.
b. Experience and Education(1) Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician.
OR
Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate’s degree in a health care related degree.
OR
Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below:(a) Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or(b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces; or(c) Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.
c. Certification. All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO). The COA certification is JCAHPO’s entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology).
Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. YOUR APPLICATION, RESUME, C.V., AND/OR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION WILL BE VERIFIED. PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT CONSIDERATION FOR 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.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

DUTIES

• Conduct comprehensive initial interviews with patients to gather detailed medical and ocular histories, including current symptoms, previous treatments, family ocular history and medication currently prescribed. Identify possible unconventional problems areas that maybe affecting the patient’s overall well-being. The information gathered is used for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating patient condition and care for patients ranging from 18 to geriatric.
• Measure and record both corrected and uncorrected visual acuities, as well as the specifications of the patient’s spectacles using a lensometer. Assess whether vision can be enhanced through minor adjustments to the lenses or the use of a pinhole device.
• Evaluate and document the optical power of spectacles, including detailed assessments of contact lens parameters such as base curve, overall diameter, power, and tint specifications.
• Measure and record the range of accommodation power; conduct refractometry using an automated objective refractometer; and perform tests for contrast sensitivity, color vision, ETDRS acuity, stereo acuity, glare sensitivity, and pupillometry. Conduct glare testing to Non-Exempt 08385-F BUS Code: 8888 evaluate visual acuity in cataract patients. Perform basic ocular motility assessments and administers cycloplegic and mydriatic agents for fundus examinations.
• Assist physicians in conducting specialized procedures, including Visual Field Tests (VFT), corneal topography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), slit lamp photography, fundus photography, biometry, ultrasound A/B scans, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), fluorescein angiography, and both automated and manual keratometry readings, as well as intraocular pressure checks through tonometry.
• Prepare and stock examining rooms to meet the providers’ needs for patient care. Ensure that all materials, products, ocular drops, and ointments are current and not expired. Restock post-operative documents required for patient education. Select and prepare the appropriate equipment for specific minor procedures to be performed in the clinic. Organize instruments, supplies, and equipment systematically, and verify that all equipment is functioning properly.
• Maintain a sterile environment throughout the procedure
• Facilitate patient movement within the clinic to minimize delays and reduce duplication of efforts, thereby decreasing patient wait times.
• Distribute and balance workload among staff technicians based on established workflows and job specializations.
• Maintain awareness of the status and progress of tasks, making daily adjustments as needed according to priority, and seek assistance from supervisors for any issues that may arise, such as backlogs that cannot be resolved promptly.
• Retrieve relevant clinical documents and images for the following day’s clinic.
• Provide training to less experienced staff technicians and stays updated on procedures, policies, and directives to answer any questions that arise.
• By staying current with advancements in ophthalmic technology and practices, the senior technician enhances the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the department, ultimately improving patient care and outcome.
• Seek necessary information or decisions from lead/supervisor when problems occur.
• Additionally, complete other duties related to health technician responsibilities as assigned.
  Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm (or as determined by supervisor depending on needs of the service)
  Telework: Not Available
  Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
  Functional Statement #: 08385-F
  Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
  Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50’s (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• License
• Other (1)
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcrip

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/19/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12795841.

• To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
• Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package