Optometrist- GS-0662-12

About the role

Location: Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, Killeen, TX. Fort Hood is a United States Army post in Central Texas, approximately 60 mi north of Austin, 50 mi south of Waco, 160 mi south of Dallas, and 150 mi north of San Antonio. It serves as headquarters for III Armored Corps, First Army Division West, the 1st Cavalry Division, and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary eye‑care provider on therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, medical contact lens specialist, pre‑ and post‑operative refractive surgery management, and Occupational Health consultations.
• Identify systemic problems in addition to visual/ocular problems.
• Follow quiescent and slowly progressive ocular conditions when no medical or surgical intervention is indicated.
• Treat a full range of eye and visual problems and ocular diseases using advanced instrumentation, optometric procedures and techniques.
• Monitor maintenance of ophthalmic equipment and instruments.
• Perform comprehensive or limited visual and ocular examinations on all patient types, including refractive surgery, pediatrics, adults, geriatric, learning disability, low vision, contact lens, and eye‑hazardous occupations.
• Diagnose and treat visual anomalies and specified pathologic conditions of the ocular adnexa and the eye.
• Provide supervision, teaching, and guidance to senior optometric interns, Scholarship Program students, eye‑specialist students, and eye technicians.
• Conduct pre‑operative evaluation of refractive surgery patients and post‑operative evaluation/management with assistance of staff ophthalmologists.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship.
• Doctor of Optometry degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) at the time the degree was obtained.
• Passing score on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NEBO) examinations.
• Current, full, unrestricted license to practice optometry in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory.
• One year of professional optometry experience (examining patients, diagnosing visual disorders or diseases, and identifying treatment) **or** completion of a one‑year accredited residency program.
• Experience must be documented; education cannot be substituted for the required experience.
• If foreign education is used, credentials must be evaluated by a recognized private organization and deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. program.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages (salary negotiation may be available for new Federal employees).
• Paid time off.
• Medical benefits.
• Student loan repayment assistance.
• Retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan and matching employer contributions.