Health Technician

Summary

The Health Technician position is located within the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Montana VA Health Care System and provides comprehensive support for Veterans requiring prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related services.

Duties

The Health Technician functions as a Prosthetics Specialty Program Coordinator who supports quality assurance activities, day-to-day operations, and administrative coordination of assigned Prosthetic Specialty Programs. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Reviews and enters all complete orders into CPRS; tracks specialty orders and ensure timely distribution of specialty items received; works with community providers on any order discrepancies. Assists in coordinating the receipt, review, processing, procurement, tracking, and delivery of prosthetic appliances and related services prescribed by VA and Community Care providers. Coordinates with Community Care, clinical services, contracted vendors, and internal service line staff to facilitate timely procurement, delivery, repair, replacement, and warranty support of prosthetic appliances and equipment. Provides customer service to both internal VA and external VA customers. Reviews consults, prescriptions, and supporting clinical documentation to ensure completeness, medical necessity, Veteran eligibility, and compliance with applicable, federal and local policies. Serves as a point of contact to internal and external stakeholders for understanding and interpretation of the Prosthetics Specialty Program regulations and eligibility requirements for Montana VA Health Care System Veterans. Provides consistent, accurate information regarding Prosthetic Specialty Programs while maintaining professionalism, empathy, diplomacy, and respect during all interactions. 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: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD14863A, PD14864A, and PD14865A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary and performed in an office environment and does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Per 5 CFR 330.502, general restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2026. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Health Aid and Technician Series, 0640 has a minimum qualification entry requirement: Specialized Experience: 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, Education: 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. AND, You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for GS-5 grade level as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working knowledge of the mission, organization, and work processes of the service and associated programs; knowledge of Federal laws, VA regulations, VHA directives, Prosthetic handbooks, business practice guidelines, and local policies governing prosthetic consult management, procurement, and program administration; knowledge of prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related prosthetic services; working knowledge of CPRS, VistA, APAT, Microsoft Office applications, and other Prosthetic information systems; ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, caregivers, Community Care personnel, clinical staff, vendors, and coworkers while providing customer service; and knowledge of the Privacy Act, medical record confidentiality, and information security requirements necessary to safeguard sensitive Veteran information. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses directly related to the occupation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for the GS-6 grade level as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working knowledge of the mission, organization, and work processes of the service and associated programs; knowledge of Federal laws, VA regulations, VHA directives, Prosthetic handbooks, business practice guidelines, and local policies governing prosthetic consult management, procurement, and program administration; knowledge of prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related prosthetic services; working knowledge of CPRS, VistA, APAT, Microsoft Office applications, and other Prosthetic information systems; ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, caregivers, Community Care personnel, clinical staff, vendors, and coworkers while providing customer service; and knowledge of the Privacy Act, medical record confidentiality, and information security requirements necessary to safeguard sensitive Veteran information. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have six months of graduate-level education (usually 9 semester hours) with courses directly related to the occupation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for the GS-7 grade level as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working knowledge of the mission, organization, and work processes of the service and associated programs; knowledge of Federal laws, VA regulations, VHA directives, Prosthetic handbooks, business practice guidelines, and local policies governing prosthetic consult management, procurement, and program administration; knowledge of prosthetic appliances, orthotic devices, rehabilitation equipment, durable medical equipment, and related prosthetic services; working knowledge of CPRS, VistA, APAT, Microsoft Office applications, and other Prosthetic information systems; ability to communicate effectively with Veterans, caregivers, Community Care personnel, clinical staff, vendors, and coworkers while providing customer service; and knowledge of the Privacy Act, medical record confidentiality, and information security requirements necessary to safeguard sensitive Veteran information. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate-level education with courses directly related to the occupation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements. Preferred Experience: Prior experience with a prosthetics and sensory aids service, particularly in the area of specialty items such as Podiatry, Rehab, and durable medical equipment; understanding of the technical specifications and medical necessity criteria for various specialty prescriptions; demonstrated experience in managing quality assurance programs within a healthcare setting involving coordination with community providers and vendors to ensure compliance with policies, timely distribution of medical devices, and handling of warranty issues. Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. Other Information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.