Summary * A RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE may be authorized for highly qualified candidates * This position is located at the Wilmington, NC VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic. The Certified Orthotist/Prosthetist provides the appropriate orthotic and/or prosthetic devices and treatment and is part of the clinical team consisting of fitters, Orthotists and Prosthetists that treat a variety of patients requiring soft goods, off the shelf and custom orthotics, and/or prosthetic devices. Responsibilities This position includes duties that administer, supervise, or perform work involving designing, fabricating, or fitting orthotic or prosthetic devices to preserve or restore function to patients with disabling conditions of the limbs and spine, or with partial or total absence of limbs. The work requires: (1) Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, body mechanics, the application and function of orthoses and/or prostheses, and of the materials and technology available for use in, and fabrication of, such devices; (2) Skill in the use of tools, materials, and specialized equipment; and (3) The ability to deal effectively with patients and their problems and to work with other members of the medical team. Duties include, but are not limited to: Provides the appropriate orthotic and/or prosthetic devices and treatment. Provides a comprehensive examination of the patient and performs and assessment of their individual needs and desires. Provides a formulation of a treatment plan. Responsible for design, component selection, measurement/casting of the patient, fabrication and fitting of the device to the patient. Responsible for proper documentation of the patient record. Provides continuous care and periodic examination of the patient and the orthotic/prosthetic device to assess fit, function and the changing needs of the patient. Complies with policies, procedures and regulations regarding human resource management, physical environment management, business/financial management and organizational management. Participate in personal and professional development through continuing education, training, research and organizational affiliations. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized for a highly qualified candidate. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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. You may be required to serve a trial period. 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Orthotist/Prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) Education: A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program, OR, A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program Board Certification: Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement. Grade Requirement for GS-11 (Full Performance Level): Experience: Completion of 1 year of experience as an Orthotist/Prosthetist equivalent to the next lower GS-09 grade level that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to provide orthotic/prosthetic services in a hospital setting. AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to attend clinics and participate as a fully participating member of the treatment team with considerable influence in the development of the treatment plan. This includes advanced knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, physics, and etiology of diseases as well as knowledge of psychology and age related competencies. Ability to conduct clinical patient analyses such as gait, range of motion, life style, etc., for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications, and to design unique or innovative devices to accommodate those conditions. Ability to recognize physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking, standing, kneeling, repeated bending. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. 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. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.