Audiologist (Clinical Specialist)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, a High Complexity Level la VHA facility and Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center.

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.

(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.

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).

Grandfathering Provision.

Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and licensure, where applicable.

For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment specific requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

(2) Employees 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.

(3) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

(4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional licensure that meets all the basic or assignment specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the occupation.

(5) NOTE: This grandfathering provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements.

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 (Clinical Specialist), GS-13. (1) 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 following KSAs are required: (a) Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program.

(b) Skill to evaluate the specialty program to ensure deadlines and goals are met. (c) Skill to coordinate initiatives and build consensus among interdisciplinary team members.

(d) Ability to monitor and report on work progress in the specialty program to adjust workload and processes. (e) Ability to serve as the SME and provide education relating to the specialty program.

Preferred Experience: Minimum of 3 years Polytrauma/Brain injury experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

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. Major Duties:

The duties of this position are to perform independently the full range of audiological activities for the care of inpatients and outpatients presenting with the most difficult and complex hearing disorders, including those patients whose communicative abilities are compounded by emotional and/or extreme physical symptoms, on an independent basis.

The incumbent serves as clinical Audiology service provider.

The incumbent engages in the differential diagnosis of the full range of hearing problems associated with functional, mixed, conductive, sensory, neural, sensorineural, and central hearing loss.

In diagnosing these problems, the incumbent conducts and interprets the complete range of specialized and refined audiologic test procedures currently available.

Included also is the ability to deal professionally with patients who present with inconsistent behavior, conflicting test results, and multiple handicaps that inhibit the utilization of normal audiologic test procedures.

The incumbent utilizes patient records, patient performance, family interviews and counseling as they contribute essential data in the diagnostic process and appropriate patient care.

The incumbent organizes clinical data systematically for effective retrieval for clinic and investigational requirements.

The incumbent is responsible for evaluation and management of ototoxicity including evaluation of patients enrolled in the ototoxic monitoring program, collection of outcomes for the Cancer Committee, and provision of education regarding ototoxicity and the ototoxic monitoring program to patients and medical staff.

In addition to the duties and responsibilities at the GS-13 grade level, the audiologist has special clinical program responsibilities for the polytrauma/TBI program.

The incumbent may perform other ancillary assignments as assigned In addition to the duties and responsibilities at the GS-13 grade level, the audiologist has special clinical program responsibilities for the polytrauma/TBI program Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 6:30am-3:30pm, Extended hours based on service needs.

Telework: Telework Eligible (Ad- Hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 70182F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized