Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent Battle Creek VAMC/VA Clinic employees will receive the 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:

• Serves as a clinical Audiology service provider as workload and operational needs require.
• Uses knowledge of contemporary audiology practice and maintains professional competency in the field of Audiology.
• Exercises independent clinical judgment and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions, needs, and expectations.
• Consults with physicians and other healthcare practitioners regarding diagnostic evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and management of Veterans with hearing and/or balance disorders.
• Evaluates patients to determine the nature, type, and severity of hearing and balance disorders utilizing appropriate diagnostic tests and techniques, medical and social history, record review, and consultation with family members and other healthcare practitioners as appropriate.
• Demonstrates the ability to professionally manage complex patients, including patients who present with inconsistent behaviors, conflicting test results, multiple disabilities, or other conditions that may affect standard audiologic testing procedures.
• Plans, coordinates, and implements patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize communication and functional outcomes.
• Provides and/or coordinates orientation and training for Audiology employees, medical staff, trainees, and other personnel as appropriate.
• Provides Audiology in-services and educational activities as needed.
• Oversees the orientation and training of newly appointed Audiology personnel within the assigned areas of responsibility.
• Ensures staff maintain appropriate competencies necessary to perform assigned Audiology duties.
• Coordinates or supports continuing education activities related to hearing aids, hearing aid accessories, clinical procedures, technology, and Audiology practice.
• Supports the training and supervision of students, trainees, residents, and fellows, as applicable, and ensures appropriate feedback regarding progress toward established educational goals.
• Provides direct technical and administrative supervision and leadership to assigned Audiology personnel and ensures employees effectively carry out assigned responsibilities.
• Plans, schedules, assigns, distributes, coordinates, and monitors work among employees in accordance with established workflow, employee competencies, patient care requirements, clinic needs, and organizational priorities.
• Balances responsibilities, establishes priorities, delegates tasks, and adjusts staffing and workload distribution as necessary to meet multiple deadlines, patient care demands, and operational requirements across assigned locations.
• Monitors Audiology clinic operations across the BCVAMC and all associated VA Clinics and works to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality service delivery.
• Analyzes patient access, workload, clinic utilization, quality, performance, productivity, and other applicable data to manage section operations and develops corrective actions when established goals or standards are not met.
• Evaluates the effectiveness and quality of Audiology programs and services and communicates significant findings, concerns, trends, and recommendations to appropriate leadership.
• Analyzes organizational and operational challenges affecting patient care and develops and implements solutions to improve access, efficiency, quality, and Veteran experience.
• Addresses employee performance or conduct concerns and effects or recommends appropriate supervisory or minor disciplinary action within delegated authority, in consultation with higher-level leadership, Human Resources, Employee/Labor Relations, or other appropriate offices when necessary.
• Provides broad program management oversight of Audiology operations and administrative and programmatic resources across the BCVAMC and all associated VA Clinics, deploying available resources to support program and Veteran care needs.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800-1630
Telework: Not available.
Functional Statement #: 94181-0

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

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 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.
• 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: Supervisory Audiologist, GS-13

Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist, with at least one year 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 candidate must demonstrate the KSAs identified below:

(a) Skill in conflict resolution to facilitate positive working relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers.
(b) Skill in applying evidence-based practices in a professional area.
(c) Ability to analyze organizational and operational challenges to develop and implement solutions.
(d) Ability to develop the abilities and strengths of current employees.
(e) Ability to balance responsibilities, set priorities, and delegate tasks to meet multiple deadlines.
(f) Ability to analyze data to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the section.

Preferred Experience: Familiarity with conducting telehealth appointments.

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-13.

Physical Requirements: The duties of the position require periods of sitting, standing, and walking. Clinical activities may require regular sitting, bending, standing, and movement within patient-care environments. Patient transport may occasionally require pushing wheelchairs. Work in front of a computer for several hours per day is required.

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.