Health Technician (Orthotic Fitter)

This position is located at American Lake VA Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington at one of the eight VISN 20 facilities supervised by the VISN 20 Prosthetics Clinical Manager.

This is an open-continuous announcement. Positions will be filled as they become available. The first cut-off date to consider applications for referral to the selecting official will be April 22, 2026, the remaining cut-off dates will be at 2-week intervals.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 07/08/2026.

English Language Proficiency: 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting with fitting and applying orthotic devices and non-custom and custom hosiery; Assisting by utilizing strong-communication skills to effectively communicate with all levels of staff as well as patients and their families to discuss all aspects of orthotic fit and restoration; Helping to provide patient care/support services to an adult population; Assisting by utilizing a patient medical record system and electronic database system for tracking Prosthetic devices with regards to services and/or treatments; Assisting by protecting medical record data from unauthorized release, loss, alteration, or deletion; Instructs patients in wear and maintenance of orthotic devices to achieve the desired benefit and to maximize the function and lifetime of the device; and Perform simple orthotic repairs, such as repairs to cuffs, suspension straps, shoes, using a wide variety of materials including leather, metal, plastic and fabric components of various braces. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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; 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.

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/.

Responsibilities:

Orthotics and therapeutic shoe fitters (Fitters) work in the Orthotics and Prosthetics laboratory of the Prosthetics and Sensory Aides service at any one of the VAMC in VISN 20. Fitters work under the general direction of the Certified Orthotist or Certified Orthotist Prosthetist at their facility. The main purpose of these Fitters is to fit and apply orthotic devices and depth inlay shoes. Instruct patients in wear and maintenance of orthotic devices to achieve the desired benefit and to maximize the function and lifetime of the device. The incumbent greets, measures, fits, dispenses and instructs walk-in patients on a variety of non- custom orthotic appliances. The devices provided include but are not limited to: braces for upper and lower extremities, spinal orthoses, soft goods, diabetic shoes, over the counter (OTC) ankle/ knee immobilizers, supports, and corsets. He/ she will also measure and fit non-custom and custom hosiery.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Prepare casting for shoes and custom shoe inserts using foam impression techniques for eventual fabrication by Certified Orthotist or Certified Orthotist Prosthetists.
• Perform simple orthotic repairs, such as repairs to cuffs, suspension straps, shoes, using a wide variety of materials including leather, metal, plastic and fabric components of various braces.
• Annotates patient medical records to computerized patient records system (CPRS) with regards to services and/or treatments provided to comply with Quality Improvement and Joint Commission Standards.
• Accurately inputs data into an electronic database system (VISTA/ Prosthetic package) for accurate reporting of NPPD (National Prosthetic Patient Data) or APAT records on all work performed which includes material cost or labor.
• Stock post items delivered to patients from inventory at the time of delivery. Appraise the Orthotics Prosthetics Laboratory supervisor or Clinical Manager of any technical, inventory, or documentation issues which may have a significant impact.

Preferred Experience:

• ABC Certified Orthotic fitter, Pedorthist, or Therapeutic Shoe fitter
• ABC Certified Pedorthist
• PTA / Physical Therapist Assistant
• LPN / Licensed Practical Nurse
• ACT / Certified Athletic trainer

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm (PST).
Telework: This is not a telework position .
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Orthotic Fitter)/PD10294A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $51,037