Department: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location(s): Johnson City, Tennessee
Salary Range: $61722 - $80243 Per Year
Job Summary: The GS-9 supervisory optometry technician will respond to the needs of the staff optometrists or other designated administrative supervisor. The supervisory health technician (optometry) is responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of a large staff of non-supervisory health technician (optometry) personnel. The GS-9 supervisory optometry technician is ultimately responsible to the optometry program coordinator (if present) and the Chief of Optometry.
Major Duties:
Qualifications: Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. Health Technician (Optometry) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Experience and Education: Basic Experience: One (1) year of experience as a health technician or assistant in the health care field demonstrating the applicant's ability to perform the work or be demonstrating a basic understanding of work in the health care field.--OR-- Basic Education: Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree with a minimum of 12 semester hours related to health technician/assistant or health technician optometry/assistant or associate degree, or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field. Transcripts Required.--OR-- Basic Combination Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of experience and educations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below: Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge of optometry assistant theory and practices and general understanding of the health technician/assistant duties and one (1) year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or health technician optometry/assistant related courses. --OR-- Successful completion of a course for health care technicians or assistants, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training in a program given by the U.S. Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or the U.S. Public Health Service, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Health Technicians (Optometry) who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above the following is the amount of experience required to qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level. Experience. One year of experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-08) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, competency assessments, performance evaluations, selection of staff and recommendation of awards, advancements and when appropriate, disciplinary actions. Ability to analyze clinically appropriate data and make recommendations to optimize quality, efficiency, performance and productivity within the eye clinic. Advanced understanding of interdisciplinary issues and organizational structure to serve as liaison between optometry and other programs that would affect coordination of care, healthcare access, program evaluation, as well as assessment and planning for future need. Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills, including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution, to deal with employees, team leaders and manager. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The supervisory health technicians (optometry) supervise, administratively manage and direct the health technician (optometry) clinical staff. Individuals at this level plan and direct programs at affiliated medical centers and their satellite outpatient clinics and have full supervisory responsibility for a large staff of non-supervisory personnel. Individuals in the position have supervisory responsibility for a staff of health technicians(optometry) up to the GS-08 grade level. Typically, these duties include assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate staff, resolving problems which may interfere with patient examination or treatment, providing optometry services in more complex and non-standard cases, evaluating new products and equipment and making recommendations concerning developments which would improve operations; participating as an instructor in the facility's clinical training program, making selections based on recommendations from subordinates and/or other optometry personnel, evaluating performance, taking disciplinary action when necessary and identifying educational or training needs. At this level, assignments may include interagency coordination of care, program evaluation and analysis and budgetary issues and planning. The supervisors assure orientation and competency assessment of assigned staff. The supervisors maintain interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/06/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12944746. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Application Deadline: 2026-05-06