kandidatu USA

Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Veterans Health Administration · Department of Veterans Affairs

This job in plain English

This job is a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at the Salem VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia, in the Department of Surgery. The work is full-time eye clinic support, including vision testing, eye pressure checks, eyeglass fitting, and help with minor eye surgery. The announcement lists a day schedule and requires a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant certification.

1 vacancy in the official listing; the announcement text mentions two Health Technician positions

Can you apply?

Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen: this job is open to everyone.

  • Open to everyoneAny U.S. citizen or national can apply. Some jobs also accept non-citizens; the announcement says so.

This job is open to the public, but you must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or someone who owes allegiance to the U.S. Veterans' preference does not apply to external applicants for this job.

What you would do

  • Take patient histories, including medications and allergies
  • Test visual acuity and measure eye pressure
  • Neutralize lenses and help fit patients with eyeglasses
  • Operate eye measurement and imaging machines, such as ultrasound and keratometers
  • Help prepare patients and assist the surgeon during minor eye procedures
  • Keep clinic supplies, instruments, and required logbooks in order

Do you qualify for GS-8?

With experience: You need one year of experience in a health care field, such as nursing, medical assisting, or health technician work. For the GS-8 level, you need one year of experience equivalent to GS-7 doing eye diagnostic work, such as testing vision, eye pressure, or lenses.

With education: You can qualify with two years of education past high school with at least six semester hours related to health care, or an associate's degree in a health care field. You can also combine six months of health care experience with one year of education past high school, or with certain military or independent study courses in ophthalmic assisting.

Licenses and certifications you need:

  • Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) certification from JCAHPO

How to apply well

What to send:

  • Long-form resume or CV showing job title, duties, month and year start and end dates, and hours per week for each job
  • Transcript if you use education to qualify (unofficial transcripts are OK)

How you will be rated: You will be rated on how well you meet the qualifications, your answers on the application questionnaire, and your USA Hire online assessments that measure skills such as attention to detail and teamwork. Reference checks may be done, and missing required information may lower your rating or make you ineligible.

Tips for this job:

  • Your resume must show job title, duties, month and year start and end dates, and hours per week for each job
  • Set aside at least 3 hours for the USA Hire assessments and finish them by the deadline
  • If you qualify through education, attach a transcript with your application

Good to know before you apply

Schedule: Full-time, Monday to Friday, either 7:00 am to 3:30 pm or 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Incentives and relocation: None. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station (PCS) moves are not authorized.

Conditions of employment:

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Drug test (urinalysis) before appointment
  • Selective Service registration required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Background and security investigation
  • Online onboarding with acceptable identification; non-REAL ID driver's licenses are not accepted after May 7, 2025
  • Pre-employment physical evaluation
  • Required seasonal influenza vaccination or approved exemption
  • 1 or 2-year trial period

We wrote this summary automatically from the official announcement. The announcement on USAJOBS is the only one that counts: read it before you apply.

Job details

Salary
$55,882 – $72,644 per year
Pay scale and grade
GS-8 · General Schedule
Location
Salem, Virginia
Appointment
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Openings
1
Security clearance
Not Required
Travel
Not required
Drug test
Not required
Supervisory
No
Occupation
Health Aid And Technician (0640)
Announcement
CBTA-13103428-27-CNK

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