With a career at Lowell Community Health Center (LCHC), you will be joining a dynamic team of passionate and talented people. At LCHC, you will continue learning, growing, and challenging yourself in your career. At the same time, you will be helping people look and see their best. Our team is looking for the right candidate to participate in a full-time optician apprenticeship program at the Eye Care Center within Lowell Community Health Center. We are looking for an individual who has an interest in pursuing a career path as a licensed optician. You will be an essential member of our team that is committed to delivering exceptional care that improves the health of the patients it serves through prevention, treatment, and education. We value individuals who are curious, dependable, skilled, and flexible in their work. In return, we offer our employees a work environment that is positive, fair and provides opportunities to develop professionally.

We offer a competitive wage, comprehensive benefit package available including Health Insurance, Dental, Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, Paid Holidays, and continuing education.

 Summary

Under moderate supervision under a licensed optician, the Optician Apprentice will:

• Advise and educate patients on frames and lens choices following interpretation of each patient’s eyeglass prescriptions.
• Take accurate measurements for eyewear, adjusting, fitting, and making repairs on eyewear.
• Determine and calculate accurate prices and discounts and collect appropriate fees.
• Provide patients covered by Third Party insurance with accurate information regarding benefits to ensure proper selection of frames and lenses. Discuss frames/lens extras and options with patients and inform the customer of any additional charges not covered by their Third-Party insurance coverage.
• Process patient purchases using appropriate equipment, software system and procedures for different payment types and items sold.
• Enter demographic and billing information into electronic health record system for every patient.
• Verify eligibility of insurance for patients
• Be able to effectively manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Fabricate eyewear according to quality guidelines and ANSI standards.
• Assess and measure eye wear jobs for accuracy and quality.
• Participate in an optician apprenticeship program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The assigned duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide superior customer service to all patients and staff in a multi-cultural environment.
• Meet established standards for quality and productivity.
• Maintain merchandise presentation by stocking and rotating merchandise, removing damaged or out-of-date goods, setting up, cleaning, and organizing product displays entering and pricing inventory appropriately in software management system.
• Assist Optical Manager and Opticians in administrative tasks such as order entry and billing.
• Must be a team player, flexible and adaptable based on health center requirements.
• Demonstrate effective prioritization of day-to-day operations and project work.
• Keep up to date on new products and technologies by attending continuing ed courses and reading trade journals.
• Participate in any/all training and educational activities necessary to fulfill at least the minimum requirements as specified within department and the completion of any activities.
• necessary for the maintenance of professional affiliations or organizational requirements
• Responsible for appearance and cleanliness of optical shop and finishing lab (includes maintenance of lab equipment)
• Respond to patient inquiries, problems or complaints as outlined in Eye Care Center department policies.
• Occasional Saturday and evening hours are required in future.

Knowledge

• The Optician Apprentice should have knowledge of working in a diverse multi-cultural environment.
• Experience in an optical retail shop is not necessary but is desired.
• An optician apprentice should understand computers.
• Knowledge of electronic health records (EHR) and insurance billing for eyewear is desired.
• Strong basic math skills, computer skills and customer service are required.
• Bi-lingual candidate desired (i.e., English and Spanish; English and Portuguese; English and Khmer).

Education and Experience

• This position does not require a current Massachusetts Dispensing Optician’s License but a desire to obtain an optician license is highly desired.
• Must have desire to learn optical lab work (measurement for eyeglasses, fabricating eyeglasses, using lensometry equipment to check accuracy of prescriptions, etc.).
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability and desire to collaborate with staff in all areas, opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and students in a coordinated eye care service.
• High school degree or General Education Degree (GED) required.

Judgment

• The Optician Apprentice will make decisions within their scope of responsibility and in accordance with LCHC policies and procedures.
• The Optician Apprentice will adhere to privacy and confidential and proprietary company policies and procedures (i.e., HIPAA).

Independent Action

• The Optician Apprentice will exercise an overall moderate level of independent action. Functions within scope of responsibility will allow Optician Apprentice to exercise a moderate level of independent action.
• Functions outside the scope of responsibility will require a lower level of independent action as other individuals will be required to assist.

Accountability

• The Optician Apprentice is accountable for all aspects of the Eye Care Center in accordance with LCHC policies and procedures.
• This applies to day-to-day administrative and lab functions.
• The Optician Apprentice is also accountable for achieving performance expectations established by their supervisor.

Interrelationships

• The Optician Apprentice will collaborate closely with the Optical Manager of Eye Care Center, Opticians, staff, and Director of Eye Care Center to achieve departmental success.
• The Optician Apprentice will maintain a collaborative work relationship with peers to create a positive work environment.

External

• The Optician Apprentice will also develop relationships with vendors supporting the Eye Care Center.

Manual and Visual Skills

• This position requires the use of computer equipment for potentially extended periods of time.

Physical Requirements 

• Frequent standing and walking for up to 80% of the workday or shift. 
• Some lifting, pushing, or pulling required up to 30 pounds.
• Ability to see and distinguish color.
• Ability to perform CPR (chest compressions). 

Work Environment

• Frequent contact with patients, families, visitors, nurses, and other department staff. Occasional requests to change work areas to cover another priority area to meet patient needs. Occasional stress and pressure caused by multiple simultaneous demands. May be exposed to various body fluids and/or infectious diseases. Universal precautions and techniques are included in orientation and the availability of protective wear is supported and encouraged when the employee is at risk for exposure.

Character of Supervision

• The Optician Apprentice will receive administrative and clinical supervision from the Optical Manager, Opticians and Director of Eye Care Center. The Optician Apprentice will also receive support from other senior managers as required.

Scope of Vision

• The Optician Apprentice will be assisted and trained to be a licensed optician through an apprenticeship program.

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