Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent Battle Creek VAMC/VA Clinic employees will receive first area of consideration. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides speech therapy services to patients under the appropriate guidelines established by the VAMC.
• Performs functions associated with contemporary speech-language pathology practice.
• Conducts screening of patients in accordance with the policies of the VAMC to determine the need for intervention/treatment.
• Conducts assessments, provide treatment interventions and provide consultation to other care professionals.
• Interprets and communicates evaluation findings to patients, family and other team members.
• Establishes individual patient schedules in conjunction with other team members.
• Collaborate and support plan of care as determined by physician and healthcare team. Performs periodic re-evaluation of the patient and makes adjustment to the treatment program.
• Incorporates new clinical procedures sufficient to perform clinical services independently.
• Develops coherent treatment strategies.
• Demonstrates knowledge of instrumentation used in speech-language pathology.
• Demonstrates knowledge of principles and techniques used in voice disorders including alaryngeal and trach.
• Monitors patient's response to intervention and modifies treatment as indicated to attain goals.
• Assist with development of appropriate home or community programming to maintain and enhance the performance of the patient in their own environment.
• Documents results of patient's assessment, treatment, follow-up and termination of services.
• Adapts treatment to meet the individual needs of the patient.
• Demonstrates knowledge of principles and techniques used in alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) systems, diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia, and cognitive-communication disorders.
• Recommends and obtains appropriate equipment to improve patient's communication.
• Instructs patient, family and staff in use of augmentative communication devices.
• Instructs patient, family and staff in appropriate speech-language procedures or home program to allow carry over of therapeutic remediation and goals in daily activities.
• Participates in discharge planning.
• Supervises students and volunteers, when applicable.
• Reviews the quality and appropriateness of the total services delivered and of Speech Therapy services.
• Confers formally and informally with other team members in coordinating the total rehabilitation program.
• Provides in-service education to the members of the patient's care team and education to peers within the VAMC.
• Assists with and participates in Quality Assurance Program as required.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 93636-A; 93637-A

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 may 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: A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and one year of creditable experience OR a doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university.
• Licensure: Candidates must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. (1) Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for SLP licensure may be appointed to a temporary position as a graduate SLP under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (c)(2). Individuals appointed as graduate SLPs may not be promoted to the GS-12 level without being fully licensed. (2) The requirement for licensure may be waived by the Under Secretary for Health or designee in VHA Central Office for individuals engaged in research or academic assignments involving no direct patient care duties, in accordance with current activities. (3) An SLP who has, or ever has had their speech-language pathology license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed on probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part.
  • Failure to Obtain Licensure. In all cases, graduate SLP must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. The Human Resource office staff will provide the unlicensed SLP written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date may result in termination of employment.
  • Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff, must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation who fail to maintain the required certification, both current and in good standing, which may result in separation from employment. An SLP who has, or has ever had, their SLP license revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part.
  • Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• English Language Proficiency: SLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 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 Determinations

GS-11

Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
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 assessing and treating disorders of speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing.
(b) Knowledge of instrumentation and technologies for assessing and treating communication and swallowing disorders.
c) Ability to adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions, needs and goals.
Assignment. SLPs at this entry developmental grade level assess and treat patients with routine speech, language, voice, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders following the principles of evidence-based practice and perform clinical procedures with respect to age-specific, unique patient conditions and needs. When assessing and treating patients with complex or rare speech, language, voice, cognitive communication and swallowing disorders, SLPs may require consultation with an SLP at the full performance or higher level.

GS-12

Experience: In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-11 level, completing one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level and possessing a full, current and unrestricted license to practice speech-language pathology.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Skill in applying principles and techniques of diagnosis and treatment associated with contemporary speech-language pathology following evidence-based practice for adult patients exhibiting the full range of speech to the full range of patient populations.(b) Skill in administering and interpreting instrumental swallowing evaluations.(c) Ability to assess the effectiveness of clinical outcomes and adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions.
Assignment. This is the full performance level. At this level, SLPs independently provide evidence-based assessment and treatment interventions to individuals with a wide range of speech, language, voice, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders. Staff SLPs select, administer and interpret standardized and non-standardized assessment measures. They integrate assessment findings into a patient-centered treatment plan of care and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions by collecting and documenting treatment outcomes. SLPs may be assigned to work in a specific clinical area such as traumatic brain injury, head and neck cancer, movement disorders or spinal cord injury. They may provide clinical training experiences for trainees and students and participate in research activities.

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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

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.