Clarification from the agency

This job is open to all current and permanent employees at the Lexington VA Healthcare System and CBOCs aligned under Duty Station #596. (Duty Station information can be found in block 40 on your most recent SF-50 and to be eligible for this vacancy the first 3 alpha-numeric characters in block 40 must read 596.)

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The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center, including both divisions and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service, as well as telehealth. The incumbent at this level must demonstrate professional knowledge and skills in a wide range of theories, principles, and methodologies for the practice of Speech Pathology in the adult and geriatric populations. In addition to the duties and responsibilities at the GS-12 grade level and > 1 year of experience at GS-12, the Speech-Language Pathologist at this level has special clinical and administrative responsibilities related to the Head and Neck Cancer population and Acute Care.

Staff Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)

• 1). Engages in diagnostic speech language pathology to include communication disorders including articulation, expressive and receptive language, cognitive communication, voice, fluency, and swallowing across the medical center including inpatient and outpatient services.
• 2). Consults with physicians and other health care practitioners as needed related to diagnostic evaluation and treatment.
• 3). Reviews patient records and engages in counseling and family interviews to determine appropriate patient needs and referrals.
• 4). Choosing the appropriate alternative or augmentative communication devices and accessories based on diagnostic results and patient need.
• 5). Contacts appropriate vendors for evaluation and training in the use of appropriate alternative or augmentative communication devices and accessories.
• 6). Places prosthetic orders with appropriate justification for speech, language, +cognitive-communication, voice, fluency, and swallowing aides.
• 7). Planning and carrying out treatment for communication disorders including articulation, expressive and receptive language, cognitive communication, voice, fluency, and swallowing disorders.
• 8). Provides treatment services via telehealth, choosing the appropriate platform and service delivery method on a case by case basis to best meet patient needs.
• 9). Supervising and training speech pathology graduate students completing externships.

Head and Neck Cancer Speech Language Pathologist.

In addition to full, independent clinical and administrative responsibilities above, the incumbent has specialized knowledge of SLP scope of practice related to the population of veterans impacted by head and neck cancer.

• 1). Serves as a subject matter expert for Veterans with head and neck cancer treated in the Speech Pathology Department at the Lexington VAHCS.
• 2). Advanced knowledge of evaluation, treatment, and care provided by SLPs to Veterans with Head and Neck Cancer.
• 3). Demonstrates practice skills not typically required of a staff SLP by providing the following specialized care for the laryngectomy population:
  • a. Performing tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis changes.
  • b. Providing laryngectomy specific and individualized supplies.
  • c. Counseling Veterans pre-operatively for upcoming initial laryngectomy surgery and/or secondary tracheoesophageal puncture.
  • d. Providing speech therapy for communication with an electrolarynx, voice prosthesis, and/or esophageal speech.
• 4). Stays informed of the latest evidence-based practice in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of Veterans with Head and Neck Cancer through continued education. Incumbent disseminates this information to the Lexington VAHCS Speech Language Pathology staff.
• 5). Coordinates care with other disciplines and health care professionals as a member of the Head and Neck Cancer team, measuring and documenting the effectiveness of the provided specialized interventions.
• 6). Serves as a preceptor for graduate students in speech language pathology providing clinic opportunities in the specialty area of evaluation and treatment of Veterans with Head and Neck Cancer.

Acute Care Coordinator for Speech Language Pathology

• 1). Provides leadership and direct oversight in the design, development, implementation, planning and management of the Acute Care Speech Pathology program.
• 2). Serves as primary liaison between the speech pathology staff and nurses, hospitalists and other providers working in Acute Care.
• 3). Coordinates Speech Pathology initiatives within Acute Care.
• 4). Evaluates this specialty program to ensure goals are met.
• 5). Monitors inpatient work flow and notifies SLP supervisor of changes in coverage as needed.
• 6). Coordinates with SLP supervisor for acute care coverage for weekends and provider leave dates.
• 7). Incumbent also performs others duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible:Not available
Telework: AD-HOC - situational
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 30904-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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).

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 and Experience.
  • 1). 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 (see paragraph 2.g.).
  • OR
  • 2). A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university.

• Licensure.
  • Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia.
• 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.
• Grandfathering Provision.
  • All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
    • 1). SLPs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
    • 2). If SLPs who are retained under this provision leave the occupation, they will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
    • 3). SLPs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment.
    • 4). SLPs 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.
• 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.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
• English Language Proficiency. SLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations: GS-13
1). Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-12.) Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: 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.

2). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
a). Knowledge of scientific principles and contemporary, evidence-based practice in differential diagnosis and treatment of speech, language, voice, swallowing and cognitive-communication disorders as it relates to a specialized clinical program.
b). Skill in prioritizing program goals and objectives.
c). Ability to build consensus among clinical team members with divergent backgrounds, interests and points of view.
d). Ability to gather and evaluate outcome data to determine program quality and effectiveness.
e). Ability to serve as a resource to other health care providers regarding a specialized clinical program.

3). Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. SLPs with special clinical program responsibilities plan, guide and facilitate the work of a specialized, intra- or interdisciplinary clinical team to accomplish program goals and establish well-coordinated work operations. At this level, SLPs are responsible for communicating team goals and objectives to other medical center staff; and serve as a resource to other health care providers. SLPs with special clinical program responsibilities evaluate the program's work by developing quality improvement indicators and monitoring outcome data, making adjustments as needed.

Preferred Experience: Inpatient Speech-Language-Pathology

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-13.

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.