Staff Optometrist
Veterans Health Administration · Department of Veterans Affairs
This job in plain English
This is a Staff Optometrist job providing eye care to Veterans at the VA Black Hills Health Care System in Hot Springs, South Dakota. It is part of the Veterans Health Administration, has 1 vacancy, and is an open continuous announcement, so applications are referred to the hiring manager every week. The position may be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, a student loan repayment program.
It may close early. This is an open continuous announcement, so it may close or be filled before the listed closing date.
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.
- Agency employees onlyOnly current employees of the hiring agency.
Other groups listed above may get extra consideration, for example veterans' preference.
Open to U.S. citizens, nationals, and those who owe allegiance to the U.S., and to current federal employees of the hiring agency. Non-citizens may be appointed only when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
What you would do
- Examine patients in the outpatient eye clinic and perform eye care and related testing.
- Enter accurate, timely progress notes for each patient visit in the electronic health record.
- Use and maintain specialized eye care equipment, following calibration and safety standards.
- Provide patient and family education, including informed consent, and help orient new staff.
- Take part in performance improvement, disaster preparedness, and assigned administrative duties.
- Help teach medical students who rotate through the health care system.
Do you qualify for VM-15?
With experience: You must have completed an approved residency training program, or have two years of licensed clinical optometry practice in the United States that involved managing medically complex patients. No specific federal grade level is stated.
With education: You need a Doctor of Optometry degree from a school approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year you finished your studies. Schools must be accredited and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.
Licenses and certifications you need:
- Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice optometry in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or D.C.
- Passed all parts of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exam needed for basic licensure
How to apply well
What to send:
- Long-form resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Transcript, if you use education to qualify
- License copy
- Professional certification, if applicable
- DD-214 showing dates and character of service, if you claim veterans' preference
- SF-15 with proof, if you claim 10-point veterans' preference
- Disability letter (VA), if applicable
- Performance appraisal or SF-50, if you are a current or former federal employee
How you will be rated: You will be rated on how well you meet the qualifications, based on your online questionnaire and documents. Your application and resume will be verified, and errors or missing information may lower your rating or make you ineligible.
Tips for this job:
- Make your long-form resume or CV show the exact dates and details of your residency or clinical optometry practice.
- If you use your degree to qualify, attach your transcript and confirm your school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency.
- Former EDRP participants cannot apply, so check this before you apply if you want the loan repayment benefit.
Good to know before you apply
Schedule: Monday to Thursday. Part-time is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Full-time is 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A compressed tour is available for full-time only.
Incentives and relocation: The Education Debt Reduction Program may apply, with awards up to $200,000 over one to five years. You must submit the EDRP application within four months of appointment. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized.
Conditions of employment:
- 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
- Pre-employment physical evaluation
- Annual seasonal influenza vaccination required (or approved exemption)
- Online onboarding with acceptable identification; non-REAL ID licenses are not accepted
- 2-year probationary 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
- $124,308 – $180,000 per year
- Pay scale and grade
- VM-15 · VA medical and dental
- Location
- Hot Springs, South Dakota
- Appointment
- Permanent
- Work schedule
- Multiple Schedules
- Service
- Excepted
- Openings
- 1
- Security clearance
- Not Required
- Travel
- Not required
- Drug test
- Not required
- Supervisory
- No
- Occupation
- Optometrist (0662)
- Announcement
- CBSY-13105439-27-SD
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