Summary This position is within the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service of the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital and Clinics. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the outpatient clinics including all clinical and patient care involved with the service. Responsibilities Functions: GS-11- Staff Audiologist ( Developmental ) - The incumbent at this level is responsible for providing audiological services to patients who reside in a large geographical area. Those patients displaying unusually sever and/or multiple impairments may be assigned to the position but with some supervision by a more experienced staff audiologist. - The incumbent will counsel veteran and families, and other persons responsible for his /her care. about the nature , degree, and effect of hearing impairment and treatment options. -The audiologist at this grade level will perform special audiological procedures for a diverse range of disease conditions ( site of lesions, test, ABR, and ENG/VNG) for the purpose of differential diagnosis of auditory and balance disorders GS-12 Staff Audiologist ( Full Performance ) -In carrying out the clinical duties and responsibilities of this position, the incumbent: -Uses a wide range of knowledge of, and skill in applying, a wide range theories, principles, and methodologies in the practice of audiology to a wide range of populations including traumatic brain injury and polytrauma. - Develops coherent treatment strategies- Knowledge of clinical services and the ability to perform them independently. - Conducts assessments, provides treatment interventions.- Provides consultation to other health care professionals. - Has knowledge of contemporary audiology practice.- Performs functions associated with contemporary audiology practice - Safely and effectively uses equipment required for patient care;i - Adheres to infection control practices while using equipment and providing patient care. - Keeps current with theory and practice through continuing education programs, journals, textbooks, and other literature, and in-service programs;- Provides patient and family education including informed consent; - Participates in developing guidelines and protocols, new patient programs, and evaluation of existing programs; - Maintains patient records and other data required by the clinic, service, and medical center;- Maintains, supplies, equipment and clinical areas to optimize safety and efficiency; - May be requested to service on service-level committees or task forces or to represent to service/section on medical center, network, or national committees; -. May perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial; -Follows applicable informed consent, HIPAA rules on privacy and protecting patient rights; - Performs VISTA scheduling in conformance with VHA guidelines. Work Schedule: 7:30am-4pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 71313-F ,7096F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Available PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Available Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. 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. 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). 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, of the referenced Qualification Standard. Education-TRANSCRIPTS SUBMITTED. Applicants must meet one of the following minimum education requirements to qualify as an Audiologist Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The CAA is the only accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit entry-level audiology programs. HR office staff and management officials may verify the program accredited from CAA at www.caa.asha.org. OR Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the USDE. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2007, the CAA in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AuD programs in audiology. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Licensure. Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in a United States state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia. EXCEPTION: (a) Non-Licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate audiologist at the GS-11 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2). (b) Non-Licensed individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a fully licensed audiologists at or above the full performance level. (c) Non-Licensed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-12 grade level until licensure is obtained. (d) Temporary appointments of non-Licensed audiologists may not be extended beyond two years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and licensure, where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment specific requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional licensure that meets all the basic or assignment specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) NOTE: This grandfathering provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements 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). Grade Determinations: 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 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.
