Health Technician

Summary This position is located in the Ralph H Johnson, VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, Geriatrics / Acute Care Unit. The incumbent works under the Supervision of Physical Therapists (PT), Occupational Therapists (OT) and Recreation Therapist to provide services that promote the prevention, remediation and rehabilitation of acute and chronic physical dysfunction. Responsibilities Major duties include but not limited to : Assist with implementation of STRIDE and other therapy programs. This can include managing lines and IV's / IV poles, wheelchairs, etc. that may limit function otherwise. Assist therapy staff in mobility of certain veterans utilizing Safe Patient Handling Techniques. Assist in transport of patients to and from clinic(s) within the facility. Promote STRIDE Program by participating in daily walks with enrolled participants and completing required documentation timely in CPRS. Maintains infection control and safety precautions. Assists with fitting / issuing / instructing in proper use of basic prosthetics, orthotics, and supportive devices. Adjusts, instructs and issues assistive devices for ambulation and assists in instruction of patients in proper use, care and safety. Assists in measuring and adjusting wheelchairs and instructs patients in proper use, care, and safety. Assist with instruction of patients in the use of orthoses, supportive devices, Activities of Daily Living devices, and leisure activities. Prepares and cleans up treatment areas. Prepares work areas (cleans mats, puts out clean linens, equipment) prior to sessions. Cleans work areas (mat, soiled linens and equipment) following treatment sessions and at end of the day. Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions and maintains treatment area in a safe, orderly manner. Performs all others duties assigned. Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8 : 00am - 4 : 30pm (subject to change based on agency needs) Position Description / PD# : Health Technician / PD10778A Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI) : Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO) : Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job Subject to a background / suitability investigation Designated and / or random drug testing may be required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12 / 31 / 1959 A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. May serve a probationary period 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, 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. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) : 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 and Training For GS-5 : 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 In addition to the IOR, candidates must meet the specialized experience below : Specialized Experience : Applicants must have one (1) full year of experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-04, in Federal service that has required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of this position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include : Experience in patient care working as a rehab aid, rehab technician, patient care technician, or health technician. OR, Substitution of 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. (A legible copy of transcripts with date the degree was conferred, coursework with grades and hours earned must be submitted with your application.) OR, Combination : Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. (A legible copy of transcripts with date the degree was conferred, coursework with grades and hours earned must be submitted with your application.) 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. 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 : 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. 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP), va.gov / EMPLOYEE / docs / The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. Additional 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP), va.gov / EMPLOYEE / docs / The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions : All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.