Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open to The Public. If you are a Current, Permanent Federal employees, please apply to Job Announcement Number CBSX-12842087-26-QMD

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This position is located at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in the Audiology and Speech Pathology service at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. The duties and responsibilities are carried throughout the Medical Center including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. The audiologist at this level conducts a full range of audiology and balance evaluation and treatment intervention, including fitting and selection of hearing aids and assistive devices, auditory rehabilitation, and counseling of hearing-impaired veteran and their family.

Duties and Responsibilities include;

• Clinical:
  • Independently provides comprehensive audiologic evaluation and management for Veterans across a wide range of auditory and balance disorders, in both face-to-face and telehealth formats.
  • Conducts and interprets advanced diagnostic procedures (site of lesions tests, ABR, and VNG), to support differential diagnosis of auditory and vestibular disorders.
  • Delivers a full spectrum of amplification services, including the selection and fitting of hearing aids, ear impressions, real-ear and electroacoustic verification, programming of digital devices, and follow-up adjustment and troubleshooting.
  • Selects, fits, and verifies assistive listening and communication technologies (e.g., personal and FM systems, remote microphones, and other hearing assistive devices) to maximize functional communication in daily environments.
  • Provides comprehensive aural rehabilitation, including counseling on effective device use, listening strategies, communication, and optimization of residual hearing for patients and caregivers.
  • Uses tele-audiology platforms to provide remote diagnostic and rehabilitative services when appropriate, including device programming, follow-up care, counseling, and team consultation for Veterans in geographically remote areas.
  • Participates in interprofessional care by consulting with referring providers and other team members regarding audiologic findings, treatment plans, and recommendations for further medical or rehabilitative services.

• Administrative / educational:
• • Maintains timely and thorough clinical documentation, including evaluations, treatment notes, and communications, in accordance with facility, service line, and regulatory requirements.
  • Ensures that clinical spaces, equipment, and supplies are organized, safe, and operational.
  • Assists with the development, implementation, and review of clinic policies, procedures, and clinical pathways, including protocols for diagnostic testing, amplification, tele-audiology, and aural rehabilitation.
  • Participates in quality improvement and program evaluation activities, contributing data and feedback to enhance access, efficiency, clinical outcomes, and Veteran satisfaction.
  • Assists in the orientation, training, and supervision of new audiology staff and health technicians, including observation, skills development, and feedback on clinical performance.
  • Instructs and supervises audiology students and externs, providing structured teaching, skills modeling, direct observation, and formative feedback to support achievement of academic and clinical competencies.
  • Keeps current with advances in audiology and tele-audiology practice through continuing education, professional meetings, journal review, self-study, and participation in in-service activities.

• Other duties as assigned:
• • Assists with coordination or limited management of specific clinic programs (e.g., hearing conservation, repairs, tele-audiology, or specialty clinics) as delegated by the Audiology supervisor.
  • Provides coverage for other audiology providers or clinic functions as needed to support access demands.
  • Performs additional ancillary or special assignments, within scope of practice and training, to support the mission of the Audiology section.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday. 7:00AM to 3:30PM
Telework: May be eligible for highly qualified candidates
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 dentification 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

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
• 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). HR office staff and management officials may verify a program's accreditation from ACAE at acaeaccred.org and CAA at caa.asha.org.
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.

(1) The Under Secretary of Health, or designee, may appoint a candidate without a license 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.
(2) 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.

Exception for Non-Licensed Audiologist.
(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.

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. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required licensure of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
HR Office staff must appoint audiologists according to the provisions in VA Handbook, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16, who have, or have ever had, their licensure revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status.

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 re-entry 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.

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). In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders.
(b) Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA.
(c) Ability to interact with patients, families, and other health care professionals.
(3) Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in audiologist entry-level developmental positions. Audiologists perform audiology assessment and treatment intervention, exercise clinical judgment, adapt clinical procedures and techniques, and document in the medical record appropriate information related to patient care.

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). In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the following KSAs are required:
(a) Skill in determining nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.
(b) Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.
(c) Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals.
(d) Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations.
(3) Assignment. This is the full performance level for staff audiologists. At this level, audiologists are licensed to practice independently in the provision of audiologic services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. Audiologists serve as consultants to other health care professionals and are recognized subject matter experts (SME) on matters related to hearing, tinnitus, and balance disorders. The supervisor may assign staff audiologists to any VHA program and setting, such as inpatient or outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, hearing health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, compensation, and pension.

Continued under "Additional Information"

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.