This position is located in the Prosthetic-Orthotic Laboratory, within the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Department, at Caribbean Health Care - POPC/MOPC, P.R. The personnel design, fabricate, repair, modify and fit a wide range of custom, non-custom prosthetic-orthotic devices prescribed by physicians.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** MAJOR DUTIES: Assisting in the assembly of components for custom orthotic/prosthetic devices. Assignments involve measuring, fabricating and fitting patients with orthotics devices. Duties may involve pacing sockets, foot, knees and other components according to instruction. Under the guidance of the prosthetist/orthotist, fits clients with devices prescribed by physicians Orders and maintains an inventory of prefabricated prosthetic and orthotics devices to meet anticipated needs of patients and to be able to respond with minimum delay to prescription from physicians and request for replacement from veterans. Responsible for instruction resident physician and other medical staff in the prescription and application of various orthoses. Serves as a technical advisor to physicians, nurses, therapist and other staff members in the use and application of appliances. Performs other duties assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:30a.m.-4:00p.m. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. Physical Demands: Duties require extensive periods of standing and walking. Duties require regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, pushing, reaching, carrying supplies and similar activities. Duties require incumbent to be able to lift. Occasionally it may be necessary to lift supplies and objects weighing as much as 50 pounds. Requires use of proper body mechanics. Incumbent must be able to work in stressful situations. The Lab is busy with patients, phones ringing and sometimes very irate patients who need to be subdued.

Requirements

Qualifications

Specialized experience: One (1) year of specialized experience to perform the duties of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been gained at least the equivalent of the next lower grade level of (GS-5) in Federal service. Specialized experience is having a practical knowledge of orthotic materials and their proper applications, safety standards and infection control to effectively fit and apply a wide variety of orthotic devices; ability to read, understand and interpret prescriptions as they pertain to orthotics and prosthetics; must possess an understanding of techniques and sequences followed in undertaking the development of prescription orthotic appliances. 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: Six (6) months of graduate education or an internship in a field of study that is directly related to the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) -OR- Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience as described above to meet the total experience requirements for this grade level? If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) -AND- Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. 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. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English. -AND- Proficient in written and spoken Spanish. NOTE: Applicants must possess the ability to speak and write fluently and proficiently in Spanish in order to receive consideration for this position. Applicant's inability to proficiently speak and write in Spanish will result in an ineligible rating. The hiring facility will interview or test to evaluate the applicant's ability to write and speak in Spanish. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Computer SkillsCustomer ServiceSpatial OrientationTechnical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. 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

IMPORTANT: 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]