Chief of Orthotic and Prosthetic Clinical Services

The Chief of Orthotic and Prosthetic Clinical Services is responsible for the overall planning, directing, developing, staffing, leading, controlling and integration of the Prosthetic, Orthotic and Pedorthic services within all Medical Centers and Health Care Systems of VISN 10. This includes all related prosthetic/orthotic clinical activities of the medical centers including the management of clinics and follow-up treatment from CBOCs throughout VISN 10.

**THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS ANNOUNCMENT MAY CLOSE SOONER THAN POSTED DATE.
**Resumes/Questionnaires received in USA Staffing in response to this announcement will be maintained in the USA Staffing job file. Qualification determinations will be done based on the applicant's resume/questionnaire/documents submitted for the position and a list of qualified candidates will be referred to Service. **The initial cut off of eligible applicants will be 06/01/2026. Subsequent cut-off dates will be the 19th of each month or as needed. The vacancy announcement will remain open until closed, canceled or filled. **

VA Careers - Prosthetics: https://youtube.com/embed/3NUvF5jjErQ

Supervisory Orthotist/Prosthetist. The orthotist/prosthetist at this level serves as the supervisor and laboratory manager for large laboratories or multiple satellite laboratories. In addition to the responsibilities described at the GS-12 level, this assignment includes serving as a VISN resource/consultant for orthotics and prosthetics; performing or overseeing testing and evaluation of design concepts; overseeing and evaluating contract orthotics and prosthetics vendors.

• The incumbent is also responsible for the overall management of prosthetic staff, equipment, physical plant and other material sources relating to the prosthetic/orthotic laboratories within the network.
• The incumbent is responsible for the establishment and implementation of program goals to accomplish the multiple missions of the prosthetic services within the resources available and time frame set.
• The incumbent is responsible for providing a vision and leading the development of these activities, as well as writing directives for clinical and administrative support staff.
• The incumbent performs as an experienced supervisor and subject matter expert for all staff professionals in the areas of Prosthetics, Orthotics and Pedorthics with full responsibility for the technical interpretation of prescriptions and management of clinics.
• The incumbent develops screening and procedural mechanisms, which will identify the targeted population within the catchment areas of the various health care systems.
• Ensures the maintenance of medical and administrative records and data to ensure proper documentation for quality assurances purposes.
• Ensures timely submission of reports to the VISN Prosthetic Manager and top management on budget estimates, requirements for planning, anticipated workloads and corresponding alignment to the production capability of the unit or units involved.
• Administers a formal systemic plan for reviewing and appraising the effectiveness of each phase of the prosthetic clinical program in accordance with congressional mandates, central office directives and VISN policies, contracts and procedures taking into account the diverse needs of local station management.
• Approves procedures for appropriate stock and inventory records and levels to ensure availability of high use items required to facilitate discharge at all stations, to ensure that stock levels are not excessive or inappropriately utilized, and to insure in-place audit records for full accountability.
• Ensures coordination and technical advice is furnished to the orthotic and prosthetic clinic, providing administrative and technical assistance with the examination and prescription of prostheses and orthoses and evaluation of experimental and test devices with authority to replace non-custom fitted appliances, and the administration of the prosthetic repair program.
• Coordinated integration of Prosthetic Service, as it relates with other specialty programs such as Wound Care.
• Acts as liaison with and is responsible for a variety of duties in connection with maintaining relationships with orthotic and prosthetic contractors, prosthetic manufacturers and central fabrication labs.
• The incumbent maintains good public relations with commercial prosthetic manufacturers and dealers and acts as interpreter of regulations as the representative of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• The incumbent provides representation to the following: Orthotic, Prosthetic, Pedorthic Clinical Services Network Director VISN 10 Network CMO VISN 10VISN 10 Prosthetic Manager VIAN 10 AUS Advisor and consultant to all VISN 10 Prosthetic and Orthotic Clinics VISN 10 Rural Health Initiative
• The incumbent has primary responsibility for meeting the clinical needs of beneficiaries residing in the area of jurisdiction.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 91818-0

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) b.

Education.

1. A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR,
2. A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program.

Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign degree programs must have proof of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in orthotics and prosthetics. d.

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.

Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required 3 certification must be removed from the occupation which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists.

English Language Proficiency. Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d)

Grade Requirements:

Experience. Completion of 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment- specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*):

1. Knowledge of regulatory requirements established by ABC, BOC, NCOPE, IAOP, AAOP, JCAHO, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), etc., in order to provide advice to VISN management of the implementation of those requirements.
*2. Knowledge of administrative functions including budget development and management, inventory management, space and workload planning, as well as knowledge of the National Prosthetic Patient Database, a knowledge of the Prosthetic National Software package, CPRS, DSS and knowledge of accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and knowledge of certification requirements for clinical staff in order to develop VISN guidelines and policies, allocate resources within the VISN, and project future workload for the VISN.
*3. Ability to analyze data and provide reports using HCPC codes and other patient database information from VISN orthotic and prosthetic laboratories and to provide such reports to VISN management.
*4. Ability to serve as a consultant to orthotists/prosthetists within the VISN on emerging technologies, the most difficult and complex cases, changes in policy, etc.
*5. Ability to supervise.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 dentification 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.