This position is in the Prosthetic and Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service at the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw MI. The Orthotic Technician works as a member of the Prosthetics Service within the Saginaw VA Medical Center. This position is organizationally referred to as an "Orthotic Fitter" and assists the certified practitioners in the fulfillment of consults to fit various orthotic soft-good devices, off-the-shelf braces, arch supports/foot orthotics, and therapeutic/footwear. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/29/2023. This Health Technician, GS-640, occupational series has an Individual Occupational Requirement in addition to the Group Standard for Technical and Medical Positions. Individual Occupational Requirement 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. Group Standard for Technical and Medical Positions GS-07 Grade Level: Experience One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: Fabricating, adjusting and repairing orthotic/prosthetic appliances; reading patient charts; using standard medical terminology; taking patient measurements utilizing the appropriate equipment; monitoring inventory levels and ordering lab supplies; entering data using the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System; and following established techniques and sequences in the development of orthotic/prosthetic appliances OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required Education: You may substitute graduate education or an internship for the required specialized experience only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have at least one (1) full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position. (Transcripts must be provided.) OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify. Combination of Experience and Education: Applicants may also combine graduate education and specialized experience to qualify at this level. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. (Transcripts must be provided.) 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 a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/. All Title 38 Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) employees must have served in their Excepted Service position for at least 90 days in order to be eligible for a position within the Competitive Service. Applicants who were previously selected under a Competitive Delegating Examining Unit (DEU) announcement must have served in their position for at least 90 days prior to being eligible for other positions within the Competitive Service. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Technical Practices Work Practices Knowledge of Materials Preferred experience - ABC Certification as an Orthotic Fitter (CFO) 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The position demands a moderate degree of exertion and a high degree of manual dexterity, significant upper limb strength, periods of standing and walking from clinic to lab or storage areas. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 25 pounds of force frequently to move objects. This could include moving objects such as pieces of equipment and assistance in moving clients. 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/. ["**THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS ANNOUNCMENT MAY CLOSE SOONER THAN POSTED DATE. This is an open continuous announcement that will be used to fill vacant Health Technician O&P Lab position through 12/29/2023. All applicants applying will be reviewed every two weeks or upon Management's request. Any required documents should be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted after you submit your application. Applications will expire three (3) months after they are submitted. You will need to reapply and submit a complete application packet every three months if you still want to be considered for the position. Duties listed are not limited to. The incumbent takes direction from the Orthotic Lab Assistant Chief and Chief. The incumbent provides technical support to the Certified Practitioner (Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO or Certified Orthotist (CO). Patient Care: 85% The incumbent is responsible for processing consult/ prescriptions of all orthotic softgood/arch supports/footwear devices. He/she fits, adjusts, and performs repairs on custom made orthoses, and off the shelf soft goods. Assists in the modification of custom molded and custom-made orthoses to specifications and conformance to models and tracings provided by the Certified Practitioner requesting the service. Devices include but are not limited to: Prefabricated Orthotics, Therapeutic footwear measurement/delivery; Lower limb orthoses; and Spinal Orthoses. The incumbent must have knowledge to access publications through internet search engines and understand the sources to access the knowledge to fit common orthotic soft-goods. Clinical Area Management: 15% Follows established procedures in performing maintenance on shop equipment. Maintains work schedule and keeps general shop areas in clean and orderly manner. The Orthotic Fitter uses a variety of materials in the modification and fitting of appliances, and orthoses. Operates all available tools and equipment associated with the fabrication, alteration, and repair of orthotic appliances, and orthoses. Uses safe practices and observes safety measures in the performance of all duties. Performs administrative tasks, as assigned, e.g., prepares a variety of recurring and special reports; maintains inventory of stock items, orders supplies as needed, assists with incoming inventory as needed. Completes mandatory training within deadlines and attends required meetings. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00a.m-4:30p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Orthotic Fitter)/PD91912A and PD91912A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
