Health Technician

Full Job Description

This position is organizationally aligned under Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, at the Ann Arbor VAMC (506), Ann Arbor, MI - a Level 1b Complexity VHA Facility.

The incumbent works under the Assistant Chief O&P Clinical Services.

The primary purpose of the position is to perform technical work in the Orthotic Prosthetic Clinical Service - and assist in the design, fabrication, repair, modification and fitting the many varieties of orthotic devices prescribed by a physician.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/06/2026.

This Health Technician, GS-640, occupational series has an Individual Occupational Requirement in addition to the Group Standard for Technical and Medical Positions.

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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Group Standard for Technical and Medical PositionsGS-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.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: The employee must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills identified in the Competence Assessment Checklist of the position and include knowledge and skills in: - Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers.

- Maintenance of confidentiality of patient/employee information, electronic and print. - The Hospital's performance improvement program.

- How to work and function in the Hospital in a safe manner, including infection control and the correct operation of equipment.

Age-specific care, as identified in the Age-Specific Competencies (see Age-Specific Competencies Checklist), including knowledge of changes associated with aging and principles of growth and development relevant to the adult and geriatric age groups; ability to assess and interpret data about the patient's status; and ability to identify age-specific needs and provide the appropriate care based upon the age-related factors noted.

Must have knowledge of the CPRS consult and progress note package utilized by the Hospital.

Must possess a complete knowledge of all safety issues required in machine operation of all potential health hazards involving the use of plastics and chemicals in the fabrication of orthotic fabrications.

Knowledge and use of all materials and methods of contemporary prosthetic/orthotic practice.

Must be able to take measurements using the appropriate equipment usually found in a orthotic and prosthetic clinic.

Incumbent regularly applies the ability to read and understand prescriptions and applies a thorough grasp of methods, techniques and the sequence followed in the development of orthotic appliances.

Must have a sound knowledge of hospital routine, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology.

Age Specific Competencies: Early Adult (Ages 18-29): Understands the developmental levels of young adulthood related to functional performance and gait.

Young (Ages 30-44): Accepts and understands activity levels and chosen life styles appropriate to this group; modifies orthotic, prosthetic and ambulatory assist principles as required to achieve such activity levels.

Adult/Geriatric (65 +): Modifies orthotic, prosthetic and ambulatory assist principles as required to increase functional outcomes of elderly; recognizes the role of catabolism on general health and risk factors related to health and aging and its relationship to ambulation.

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/.

Major Duties:

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: This position provides clinical, administrative, technical, and direct patient care support.

In this capacity, the incumbent must be skillful and flexible in establishing goals and setting priorities due to the fluctuating needs of the clinical staff - based on the following areas: Under the guidance of the Orthotist and/or Prosthetist the incumbent will perform all duties involved with orthotics and prosthetic skills in the repairing, fabrication, fitting and modification of orthotic and prosthetic devices for the treatment of patients.

Under the direction of the Orthotist and/or Prosthetist will assist the professional staff in the treatment and care of seriously disabled veterans to include amputees, diabetics, upper motor neuro injury, spinal cord injury and those with related disabilities requiring the use of orthotic, prosthetic and footwear devices to take the place of, or assist, a part of or function of the body which is lost or impaired; Will perform under the direction of the Orthotist and/or Prosthetist repairing, modifying, measuring and fitting off the shelf and custom fit devices, such as lumbosacral orthoses, cervical collars, compression hose, knee orthoses, wrist hand orthoses, abdominal binders, orthopedic shoes etc.

Will assist the orthotic lab in fabricating orthotic components together.

Will be responsible for performing a broad range of work, which involves the choice of materials, fabrication and fitting under the supervision of the Orthotist and/or Prosthetist.

Each device is constructed and fitted to meet the most rigid prescription requirement; Will maintain stock of material or supplies for fabrication and off the shelf prosthetic and orthotic devices utilizing the prosthetics inventory package (PIP); Will be responsible for maintaining their Orthotic Lab work orders in the Prosthetics package in the DHCP/VISTA.

These work orders explain what needs to be done for the patient. The work orders need to be closed correctly to reflect time spent and materials used.

This becomes a permanent part of the patients' Prosthetic record.

This also affects the quarterly obligations report for headquarters; Will be responsible for maintaining electronic progress notes on patients that he/she has treated with support from the Orthotist and/or Prosthetist; Will communicate and instruct patients in proper procedures for wearing and maintaining orthotic/prosthetic devices in order to achieve the maximum benefit.

He/she will document any communication and instructions given to the patient using the electronic consult and progress note (CPRS package) utilized by this Hospital.

The incumbent will follow up to ensure the appliance fits and functions properly; Will be responsible for all clean up assignments.

This includes keeping the following organized, clean and neat: workbench, general work and storage area; Complies with all safety/fire prevention rules/regulations, using protective equipment when required and provided.

Promptly reports all accidents and notifies supervisor of unsafe/unhealthful conditions in the workplace.

Attends scheduled training sessions and participates in facility or service level safety promotions as directed by supervisor.

Knows fire drill and emergency plans for work area, including location of all emergency fire equipment, and 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/PD060440 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized