Summary This position is a staff Audiologist at the Lawton VA Clinic, Fort Sill, OK. The role covers all clinical areas, providing comprehensive audiological evaluations, determining @type and severity of hearing loss, assessing and fitting amplification, measuring its effectiveness, and delivering rehabilitation and counseling for veterans and their families. Responsibilities Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Functions as a staff audiologist under the supervision of a higher-grade audiologist or speech-language pathologist. Provides comprehensive audiological services to patients at the primary VA hospital and regional sites. Applies principles and techniques of audiology, including anatomy, physiology, acoustics, psychoacoustics, communication, and auditory/vestibular pathophysiology. Assesses and treats auditory and balance disorders using a full range of behavioral and physiologic diagnostic tests, including ENG, auditory brainstem responses, otoacoustic emissions, acoustic immittance, SISI, Tone Decay, and Stenger tests. Identifies and evaluates individuals with disorders affecting speech, language, and perception of acoustic signals. Conducts differential diagnosis for varied conditions, such as otosclerosis, otitis media, cholesteatoma, tumors, Meniere's syndrome, cerebellopontine angle tumors, and other conductive, cochlear, and retrocochlear lesions. Evaluates ear canal functional status, provides cerumen management, and assesses hearing for patients unable to respond to standard audiometric procedures. Conducts social efficiency examinations for hearing impairment assessments used in adjudication and medico-legal purposes. Counsels veterans, families, and caregivers regarding the nature and impact of hearing impairment. Recommends and provides remedial and preventive services, including selection, fitting, and instruction on the use of hearing aids (including implantables and assistive listening devices), FM/Bluetooth systems, and other specialized equipment. Performs routine inspection and repair of personal amplification systems and assistive listening devices, as needed. Issues ear defenders for acoustic trauma prevention and recommends vocational adjustments in cases of progressive hearing loss due to noise exposure. Designs and implements aural rehabilitation and training programs to maximize use of amplification, residual hearing, and development of alternative communication strategies such as speech-reading. Adapts clinical procedures for unique, age-specific patient needs, exercising appropriate clinical judgment. Develops individualized training plans for patients and caregivers. Education Assists in the orientation and training of new staff, medical personnel, students, trainees, and fellows, providing supervision and feedback. Participates in continuing education through courses, journals, textbooks, and in-service programs to maintain current knowledge and competency. Provides patient and family education, including informed consent, and ensures compliance with HIPAA and patient rights regulations. Administrative Participates in development and evaluation of clinical guidelines, protocols, and new or existing programs. Maintains accurate patient records and required clinical data. Maintains clinical areas, supplies, and equipment for safety and efficiency. May serve on service-level, medical center, network, or national committees and task forces. Technical and Research Maintains and calibrates specialized electro-acoustic instrumentation used in auditory assessments. Assists with clinical research activities, including data collection and support for research design. Professional Conduct and Privacy Interacts professionally with patients, families, and other healthcare practitioners; consults with physicians as appropriate. Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings and collaborative care planning. Documents evaluations, diagnoses, treatment plans, patient/family education, and outcomes in the medical record. Accesses sensitive data appropriately, ensuring compliance with federal, VA, and Privacy Act regulations. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 635-53777A, 635-53778A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized for a Highly Qualified Candidate. 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. 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. Qualifications Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). 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. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2007, the CAA in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology. 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 for Non-Licensed Audiologist. 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). Non-Licensed individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of fully licensed audiologists at or above the full performance level. 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. Temporary appointments of non-licensed audiologists may not be extended beyond two years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. 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 and deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. English Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for appointments at grade levels specified. Audiologist, GS-11 (1) Education. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders. Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA. Ability to interact with patients, families, and other health care professionals. Audiologist, GS-12 (1) Experience. In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower grade level. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Skill in determining nature, @type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders. Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals. Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations. 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: The physical demands of the work include light lifting and carrying under 15 pounds; reaching above the shoulder; use of fingers; walking; standing; and hearing aid permitted. The position requires mental and emotional stability and involves working around machinery. Prolonged sitting and/or standing (6-8 hours) may be required, along with the ability to perform rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Some stressful situations may occur when communicating with patients and their families who may have multiple physical, mental, and/or psychosocial needs. 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 Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. 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.
