Summary This position is located within the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service of the Durham VA Health Care System. The duties and responsibilities of this position are carried out at the Durham VA Medical Center and as needed throughout the Durham VA Health Care System, as determined by Supervisory Audiologist. The duties and responsibilities of this position are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service. Responsibilities The incumbent is an advanced independent licensed practitioner. In addition to the duties required at the Full Performance Level, the Audiologist has special clinical program responsibilities to include all aspects of providing clinical care and management to both patient's with implantable devices as well as Veterans with hearing loss in inpatient and long-term stay units within the Durham VA Medical Center ensuring local, VISN, national guidelines are followed. Duties include and are not limited to: Possesses clinical knowledge in the audiology profession with an emphasis in audiology implantable devices and inpatient audiology management Adheres to policies and procedures related to implantable hearing devices and inpatient audiology care at assigned site Evaluates candidacy for cochlear implantation by conducting initial audiologic evaluation, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing (if appropriate). Candidacy determination is also to include: verification of current hearing aids, aided evaluation with speech perception abilities, evaluation of audiologic and otologic history, assessment of cognitive and emotional factors, and discussion of realistic expectations, benefits/limitations of implant, and surgical/follow-up procedures Determines candidacy for osseointegrated bone anchored implants (BAI) and assistive listening technologies based on hearing evaluation, medical evaluation, and communication information, while taking into consideration physical, cognitive, acoustic, cosmetic, situational, and @contextual factors Performs device selection, provide pre- and post-surgical assessment, counseling, and all aspects of audiologic treatment Measures progress with the cochlear implant at routine follow-up appointments by comparing behavioral and speech discrimination tests from previous visits and perform validation measures such as the Performance Inventory for Profound and Severe Hearing Loss (PIPSL), the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), etc, to evaluate veteran satisfaction Assist in the development of expanded inpatient audiology clinical services to better serve Veterans, monitor outcomes, and modify processes and procedures as needed Provide Audiologic clinical services at bedside to inpatients at the Durham VA to include but not limited to hearing aid triage, repair, issuance of assistive listening devices, and provide audiometric evaluation to identify appropriate plan of care. Communicates with Veterans, VA medical providers, and and non-VA Medical providers to collaborate patient care Serves on comprehensive interdisciplinary team at assigned site of care, if necessary providers work on site (Audiology, ENT, Speech, etc.) as needed Work Schedule: Monday-Thursday, 7:00am-5:30pm Telework: May be authorized at Supervisory discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education. (1) Doctor of Audiology (AUD) from an audiology program recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) OR (2) Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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. 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). Audiologist (Clinical Specialist), GS-13 Grade Determination Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist, with at least one year comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-12) AND demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) below: (a) Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program. (b) Skill to evaluate the specialty program to ensure deadlines and goals are met. (c) Skill to coordinate initiatives and build consensus among interdisciplinary team members. (d) Ability to monitor and report on work progress in the specialty program to adjust workload and processes. (e) Ability to serve as the SME and provide education relating to the specialty program. Preferred Experience: Cochlear Implant Specialist Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. 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.
