Audiologist

This position is with the West Texas VA Health Care System at the Big Spring, TX VAMC location under the direction of the Audiology Supervisor of the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service line. The staff audiologist conducts a full range of audiological evaluations to determine the type/degree of hearing loss, determines patients' need for amplification, predicts/measures the effectiveness of amplification, and determines need for and type of rehabilitation and counseling of veterans.

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.
• Education:
  • 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. 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.
• 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.
  • Non-licensed audiologists 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) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that these audiologists provide care only under the supervision of fully licensed audiologists. Individuals appointed as graduate audiologists may not be promoted to the GS-12 level without being fully licensed.
  • The Under Secretary of Health, or designee, in VHA Central Office may waive the requirement for licensure under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 of a candidate who will be assigned to a research, academic or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. In such instances, HR office staff can only appoint these candidates in exceptional circumstances where their credentials demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.
  • All audiologists who perform compensation and pension examinations perform direct patient care duties and must possess a full, current and unrestricted license to practice audiology and must meet the experience requirements under Section 2. D. See 38 C.F.R. § 4.85.
• Failure to Obtain Licensure: In all cases, the graduate audiologists must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. HR office staff will provide unlicensed audiologists with written requirements to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Written notices must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment.
• Loss of Credential. In collaboration with HR office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation who fail to maintain the required licensure, which may also result in separation from employment.
• HR office staff must appoint audiologists in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16 of this part, who have or have ever had, their audiology licenses revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status.
• 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.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. j.
• English Language Proficiency: Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)

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 Determination:
Audiologist, GS-12.
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
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the following KSAs are required:

• 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with adult population
• Experience with NOAH, ROES, CPRS documentation system
• Experience providing virtual care through VVC and Tele-health

References: VA Handbook 5005/152 Part II Appendix G29 Audiologist Qualification Standard GS-0665 Veterans Health Administration September 22, 2022.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Responsibilities:

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Using 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
• Developing coherent treatment strategies
• Having knowledge of clinical services and the ability to perform them independently
• Conducting assessments, providing treatment interventions
• Providing consultation to other health care professionals
• Having the knowledge of contemporary audiology practice
• Having the ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology practice
• Performing compensation and pension examinations including detailed past, family, social, military and occupational history, comprehensive evaluation of type and severity of hearing loss, tinnitus evaluation, special auditory tests and opinions on the relationship between conditions and military service when requested
• Providing orientation/training of medical staff
• Assisting in orientation and training of new staff
• Participating in developing guidelines and protocols, new patient programs and evaluation of existing programs
• Maintaining patient records and other data required by the clinic, service and medical center
• Maintaining supplies, equipment and clinical areas to optimize safety and efficiency

Work Schedule: Fulltime, Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
This is a Bargaining Unit position

Salary : $82,830 - $107,680