Summary

The Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) is a Level 1b facility and ranks among a complex system in the VA serving the VA Sierra Pacific Network (VISN 21). The VANCHCS offers a full range of comprehensive health care services including Dentistry - Geriatrics and Extended Care - Imaging - Medicine Services - Mental Health Services - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service - Primary Care - Radiation Oncology - Rehabilitation Services - Specialty Services - and Surgery.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 07/01/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-08. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupation Requirements Specialized Experience: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials - plasters - stones - hydrocolloids - waxes - metals - acrylics - porcelain - and similar materials. Use of laboratory equipment such as hand tools - dental lathes - engines - and hand pieces - furnaces - casting machines - presses - flasks - and related equipment. Use of precision instruments such as articulators - surveyors - and microanalyzers. Construction of dental prosthetic appliances. In addition to meeting the individual occupation requirements - you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 Minimum Qualifications: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-08 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: utilize dental terminology to effectively communicate with peers - supervisor - and dental providers; use of dental laboratory materials; use of dental laboratory instruments and equipment; uses infection control principles; participate in the design and fabrication of very complex dental and intraoral appliances; completes unusually difficult - complex - and intricate dental prostheses and be relied upon to carry out most aspects of their fabrication independently.; and teaches dental residents and other trainees. (This experience must be well documented in your resume. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Chemistry Clerical Customer Service Flexibility Interpersonal Skills 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. Note: 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. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary but also requires some standing - walking - bending - lifting and carrying of light dental items. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. 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/.

Duties

• Major Duties may include but are not limited to : The incumbent performs a variety of removable prosthodontic laboratory tasks required to fabricate - repair - or refit complete dentures - removable partial dentures - and other dental appliances
• The individual will fabricate dental appliances to include: bleaching trays - fluoride trays - occlusal guards - orthotics - surgical stents - crown and bridge stents - interim resin partials
• Essix Retainers - reduction guides - and simple obturators - provide consultation to dentists - on case design - laboratory processes - and esthetics and completes lab-processed acrylic relines and rebases of complete and partial dentures
• Incumbent performs a variety of fixed prosthodontic laboratory tasks to support crown and bridge and implant procedures in the Clinic
• They will manage the workflow of lab cases independently
• Verifying posted deadlines and turnaround times for lab step completion are met
• The incumbent will ensure work area is free from recognizable safety and health hazards and immediately reporting any unsafe working conditions or health hazards to his/her supervisor and demonstrate compliance with all environmental regulations
• Work Schedule: Full Time - Monday-Friday 8:00am -4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Dental Lab Technician/PD095170 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required