Audiologist

Full Job Description

This position is in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service of the VA Montana Health Care System, with 3 vacancies supporting Kalispell, Butte, & Great Falls, MT.

Each incumbent will be based at one of these locations. Candidates will provide their top location choice during the application process, with final assignments based on availability and preference.

The start date is negotiable and flexible to support graduate school completion, state licensing, and relocation timelines.

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.

English Language Proficiency: Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education: 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 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.

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.

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.

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: 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). Non-Licensed individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a fully licensed audiologists at or above the full performance level.

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.

Temporary appointments of non-Licensed audiologists may not be extended beyond two years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for appointments at grade levels specified.

GS-11: 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: Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders.

Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA.

Ability to interact with patients, families, and other health care professionals.

GS-12: 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: Skill in determining nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.

Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.

Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals.

Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 12.

Physical Requirements: Infection Control: The employee is required to be familiar with all infection control standards as set forth by the Medical Center and to follow these standards accordingly.

Unit personnel maintain and disinfect reusable medical equipment in accordance with VHA, Puget Sound Health Care System, manufactures instructions regulation agencies and unit polices to reduce or eliminate the risk of infection or other harmful contamination to the patient.

Incumbent will have and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the processes for Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) including knowledge of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which document the processes and procedures for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and preparation of Reusable Medical Equipment.

Safety: It is the incumbent's responsibility to be safety conscious, to be alert to recognize hazardous conditions and to do what is possible to eliminate or assist in eliminating these conditions; or, if that cannot be done, to work safely within them; to avoid committing unsafe acts; and to be watchful of the safety of employees for mutual protection.

The incumbent is to report all unsafe working conditions immediately to supervisor and is encouraged to apply his/her training and experience to planning better methods and arrangements.

Per VA handbook 5003/4, Functional Statements are to be reviewed, signed Major Duties:

Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to: An Audiologist in this full performance level is licensed to practice independently in the provision of audiologic services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate.

Audiologists diagnose audiologic disorders, conduct audiologic and/or neuro-audiologic assessments, treat auditory disorders through various modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for the treatment of medical disorders.

Audiologists consult with medical center staff on various patient care issues. The Audiologist may be involved in program evaluation, teaching, and training.

Among the modalities which may be provided are individual, family and group audiologic rehabilitation.

Assess the nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders: Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals.

Administers the full range of tests including audiologic evaluation, tinnitus, and balance assessment; evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss; and provides an expert opinion regarding etiology of auditory dysfunctions as needed.

Recommends remedial measures to mitigate hearing loss. Responsible for direct services of a remedial and preventative nature.

The services encompass the following: selection, evaluation and fitting of hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and accessories; issuance of hearing protection.

Incumbent plans, conducts, and coordinates auditory (aural) rehabilitation, tinnitus and/or vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients; designs patient-centered treatment plans to assist patient and caregivers to maximize and restore to the greatest extent possible physical and social functioning.

Counsels patients and family members regarding management of hearing communication, and vestibular disorders.

Counsels patients family and other health care providers on hearing loss, hearing loss management and provides patient educational resources.

Incumbent serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult and complex cases.

Provides professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals.

Serves as consultant to other health care professionals and are recognized subject matter experts (SME) on matters related to hearing, tinnitus, and balance disorders.

Independently applies professional contemporary audiology treatments to the full range of patient populations.

Applies clinical skills in such areas as hearing conservation, electrophysiological assessment and/or interpretation, central auditory function assessment and treatment, counseling for coping with tinnitus, and analysis and fitting of advanced amplification technology.

Applies knowledge, theories, and techniques to a full range of complex adult patients. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday Telework: Ad-Hoc "per agency policy" Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #:436-51504-A, 436-51505-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized