Optometrist

Summary

Optometrist is a licensed independent practitioner who work as part of VA team collaborating with other optometrists, ophthalmologists, nursing staff, technicians, administrators, and relevant associated health disciplines. This position is aligned under Surgery Service with the Salt Lake City VA Health Care System.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.
• An optometrist is a licensed independent practitioner who will provide direct patient care to our Veteran population.
• Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Duties: Delivering high quality primary optometric & vision care services as delineated in the clinical privileges.
• Examining eyes, lids, adnexa, and the visual systems of patients.
• Providing basic low vision evaluation and services.
• Diagnosing, managing and treating refractive conditions, binocular functions, ocular diseases and conditions, ocular complications of systemic disease, etc. Ordering diagnostic ocular imaging.
• Providing patient & family education regarding ocular health issues.
• Referring patients to ophthalmology for diagnosis, treatment and management of systemic and ocular conditions revealed through optometric examinations.
• Evaluating, managing and triaging emergent, non-surgical eye conditions.
• Managing patients referred with complaints typical of routine eye care disorders.
• Performing health services and mandated examinations such as diabetic retinopathy & glaucoma screenings.
• Conducting clinical evaluations such as: medical & ocular history; visual acuity measurement; pupillary function testing; color vision testing; extraocular muscle function & binocularity testing; refractive & accommodative testing; external examination of the eye & adnexal structures; biomicroscopic evaluation of the ocular adnexa, anterior, and/or posterior segments of the eye, including gonioscopic & fundus lens evaluation; ophthalmoscopic, tonometric, & perimetric evaluations; etc. Collaborating with other optometrists, ophthalmologists, nursing staff, technicians & administrators to facilitate operations within the service to meet common goals.
• Performing administrative components of patient care management, including timely completion of progress notes, consults & encounters for all patients, appropriate documentation in medical records, etc. Assisting Connected Care Team with certifying competency of telehealth technicians with regards to Tele-Eye program and other initiatives as needed.
• Providing interpretation of teleretinal images.
• Performing as part of a team, with excellent communication skills and interpersonal relationships with all other eye care providers and support staff.
• Work Schedule: Full-Time; Mon – Fri 8:00 am to 4:30 pm; Management reserves the right to change schedule to accommodate patient needs.
• Including extended hours and weekends.

Requirements

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply.
• Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary.

The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted ‘Resume’ document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the ‘Other’ document upload field.
• The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50’s (current/former Federal employees), etc.
• Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) Other (2) Other (3) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Proof of Enrollment
• Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Veterans’ Preference
• Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA.
• When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.
• You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).
• If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation.
• Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 “Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference” with required proof as stated on the form.
• Documentation is required to award preference.
• For more information on Veterans’ Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets – Veterans – Job Seekers – Veterans’ Preference.