Clarification from the agency

Open to VA facility employees and VHA Nationwide. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center and clinics including patient care areas involved with the service. Incumbent is a staff audiologist.

Audiologist, GS-11 major duties:

• The incumbent at this level is responsible for providing audiological services to patients who reside in a large geographical area. Those patients displaying unusually severe and/or multiple impairments may be assigned to the position but with some supervision by a more experienced staff audiologist.
• The incumbent will counsel veterans and their families, and other persons responsible for his/her care, about the nature, degree, and effect of hearing impairment and treatment options.
• The incumbent will be responsible for providing a comprehensive program of aural (auditory) rehabilitation for hearing-impaired patients. Such programs may consist of instruction in the effective use of amplification, listening strategies, and optimizing residual hearing.
• The audiologist at this grade level is responsible for treatment and rehabilitative services including, but not limited to, fitting and selection of all types of hearing aids; ear impressions; programming of digital hearing aids; selection and fitting of assistive devices and assistive listening devices such as personal and FM amplifiers, telephone amplifiers, etc.; inspection, modification, and repair of amplification devices and ear molds; and hearing conservation for employees at risk for noise exposure.
• The incumbent will be responsible for the proper maintenance and calibration of the specialized electro-acoustic instrumentation.
• The incumbent will follow applicable rules for informed consent, HIPAA privacy, and protecting patient rights.
• The incumbent may perform other ancillary assignments as assigned.

Audiologist, GS-12 major duties:

• Conducts assessments, provides treatment interventions.
• Knowledge of clinical services and the ability to perform them independently.
• 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.
• Safely and effectively uses equipment required for patient care.
• Participates in developing guidelines and protocols, new patient programs, and evaluation of existing programs.
• Provides patient and family education including informed consent.
• 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.
• The incumbent may perform other ancillary assignments as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm, Extended hours based on service needs.
Telework: Telework Eligible (Ad- Hoc)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 71313F and 70175F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
• 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).
• 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

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.

(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 3 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.

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.

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

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.

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.


Preferred Experience: One year of VA experience or 4th year residency at the VA.

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 Demands: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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.

Area of Consideration. Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.

2. All other VA employees.

Note: Veterans' Preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal agencies but will be applied to all other applicants.

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.