Prosthetic Representative

Summary

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Eastern Kansas Healthcare System (EKHCS), Topeka, KS, Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS). The PSAS provides support to optimize the health and independence of the Veteran services provided within various settings, including the Veterans Integrated Service VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliaries throughout the United States.

Duties

• VA Careers - Prosthetics: https://youtube.com/embed/3NUvF5jjErQ Serves as a Prosthetic Representative completing a variety of prosthetic and sensory aids assignments, projects, activities independently to meet PSASs long-and-short term program goals. Performs technical, administrative, and analytical prosthetic related assignments for the PSAS. Works directly with Veterans and clinical teams to assist with applications and answer questions related to benefit programs that cannot be handled by lower level employees. Serves as a VHA and PSAS representative on local and national committees, workgroups, and teams to address a variety of PSAS's issues, initiatives, and projects. Keeps the PSAS senior staff aware of outcomes and recommendations to enhance the program. Seeks best practices from other VHA facilities to enhance PSAS's prosthetic and sensory aids program to meet veterans' needs. Conducts visits to VISNs and VHA locations to collect, review, and analyze their best practice information and report findings to the supervisor to consider. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively both orally and in writing. Drafts, develops, and implements new local organizational policies, directives, and procedures that are consistent with national policies, procedures, and programs. Provides documents to the supervisor for final approval after the incumbent submits final, review, comments, and recommendations. Maintains awareness of VA's, VHA's, and PSAS's requirements by governing bodies, i.e. The Joint Commission (JC), Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC). Keeps abreast of current issues in the health care industry and technological advancements and provides subject-matter expertise to VHA and PSAS's senior officials as needed. Completes Prosthetic Representative, technical, programmatic, and administrative duties independently. Provides training, advice, and guidance related to administrative functions, including statistics, data analysis, budgeting, contracting, procurement, inventory management, human resources, logistics/space, equipment, and supplies. Oversees the operation of the Prosthetic, Orthotic, optical laboratories, including restorations activities. Completes contracting and procurement assignments independently to prepare and authorize purchase orders for a wide variety of prosthetic and orthotic devices. Provides status reports regularly to the supervisor to keep the supervisor well informed for accountability purposes. Monitors and ensures requests for items or services are completed and received under established timeframes; and confers with contractors, vendors, and other health care workers as needed regarding procurement status and other needs and concerns. Provides oversight and management of contracts. Monitors contracts for compliance with the statement of work; and receives, analyzes, and completes requests for prosthetic equipment and services. Keeps the supervisor well informed of procurement or contract issues as they arise. Monitors and analyzes PSAS compliance reports, Delayed Order Report, aged credit card transactions, compliance metrics and scorecards. Develops tools that monitor VHA's quality assurance program. Works in collaboration with supervisor and senior staff to plan, develop, and prepare budget estimates; to develop cost-containment measures for prosthetic equipment and services; to authorize benefit payment and reimbursement. Procures materials, supplies, and equipment; familiar with inventory stock and works collaboratively with Supply Chain to provide oversight of prosthetic service inventories; and refers veterans to proper clinical area for evaluation with guidance from supervisor and senior staff. Keeps supervisor informed of procurement updates. Ensures VA, VHA, and PSAS's procurement procedures are adhered to. Identifies and selects national CMS/ Health Care Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) codes are entered for every item purchased through and/or billed to ensure proper reporting. Conducts data analysis using the program's statistical data to prepare various VHA and PSAS reports regarding prosthetics and sensory aids. Ensures surgical implants are Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved/cleared; collaborates with Supply Chain Management to establish local procedures and to disposition implants appropriately. Collaborates with clinical staff when devices and equipment require repair or replacement and takes necessary actions to resolve issues. Uses effective analytical and communication skills, and social awareness to identify, analyze, and resolve routine prosthetic issues or problem to effectively complete assignments. Work Schedule: 8:00AM - 4:30PM, Monday - Friday Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Experience and Education: Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-5: Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-7: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level GS-05. This experience must demonstrate that you have knowledge of basic medical and anatomy terminology, knowledge of accounting methods, and the ability to research, analyze, comprehend, and apply decisions. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to understand and apply processes, procedures, regulations, and laws as it applies to purchasing and the provision of prosthetic items/services. 2. Ability to coordinate multiple requests for durable medical equipment (DME), including repairs, services, and benefits. 3. Ability to act as a liaison with and work effectively with health care providers, patients, caregivers and vendors to ensure that the most appropriate device and services are received timely. 4. Ability to monitor contractors and vendors for compliance with contract requirements GS-9: Prosthetic Representative (Developmental level) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level, that is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples include but are not limited to developmental duties involving more complex work performed under supervision. Interaction with Veterans, caregivers, and clinical staff by answering questions related to benefit programs such as automobile adaptive equipment, home improvement and structural alterations, and clothing allowance programs. OR, Education. Education equivalent to two full years of progressively higher level graduate education or Master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours may include, but is not limited to, any combination from the following fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of methods to identify trends and causation factors sufficient to analyze prepared data and gather information to inform and advise management. 2. Ability to organize, prioritize, and monitor actions to ensure timeliness. 3. Ability to understand and articulate the benefits program options available. This includes communicating with patients, caregivers, health care providers and vendors. 4. Ability to apply and educate others about national, VISN, and facility directives, policies, procedures and regulations. 5. Ability to work effectively with a clinical team and provide recommendations for prosthetic devices. GS-11: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level, that is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples include but are not limited to working directly with Veterans and clinical teams to assist with applications for benefits related to benefit programs such as automobile adaptive equipment, home improvement and structural alterations, and clothing allowance programs. Ensures devices, equipment, and services, are based on the patient's rehabilitative and medical needs. Working closely with the treatment team in development of prescriptions and provide technical assistance and guidance to assist in planning and coordination to obtain equipment, services, and benefits. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to work independently to set priorities; delegate tasks; meet multiple deadlines; analyze organizational problems; and develop and implement effective solutions to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity. 2. Ability to work with a team, to provide technical guidance, plan, organize, and coordinate activities to effectively complete job duties of assignment, such as distributing workload; and monitoring the accuracy, status and progress of work. 3. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels. 4. Ability to assist in staff development, outcome management, and strategic planning. 5. Ability to act as liaison between staff to resolve informal employee complaints and concerns. 6. Knowledge of rehabilitative treatment goals and strategies that are unique to patients in specialized programs and knowledge of those specific program requirements. Preferred Experience: Experience as a Contracting Officer Representative or other assigned Contracting duties. Experience in monitoring contractors and vendors for compliance with contract requirements. Experience in the following systems: PIP, GIP, FORCE, VISTA, CPRS, APAT, IPPS. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). 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-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job including their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Requirements

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 identification 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). 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.

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 to apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/14/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13050724. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.