Clarification from the agency

Open to All US Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The mission of the VHA Audiology Service is to optimize the functioning of Veteran patients. Duties are to be carried out throughout all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service. The Audiologist conducts a full range of audiological evaluations to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, determines patients' need for amplification, predicts, and measures the effectiveness of amplification, and determines need for and type of aural rehabilitation and counseling of Veterans with hearing loss and their families.

In this entry-level developmental position, audiologist performs assessment and treatment intervention, exercises clinical judgment, adapts clinical procedures and techniques and documents in the medical record appropriate information related to patient care.

Duties include, but not limited to:

Assess and treat auditory and balance 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 auditory evoked potentials, video nystagmography, tinnitus, and balance assessment; evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss; administers compensation and pension evaluations and provides expert opinions 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, and 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; and designs, monitors, and conducts a comprehensive hearing conservation program for employees at risk for noise exposure.

Interacts with patients, families, and other health care professionals. 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. 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 as subject matter experts (SME) on matters related to hearing, tinnitus, and balance disorders. The supervisor may assign staff audiologists to any VHA program and setting, such as inpatient or outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, hearing health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, compensation and pension.

Independently applies professional contemporary audiology treatments to the full range of patient populations. Apply clinical skills in such areas as hearing conservation, electrophysiological assessment and interpretation, central auditory function assessment and treatment, counseling for coping with tinnitus, and analysis and fitting of advanced amplification technology. Apply knowledge, theories, and techniques to a full range of complex adult patients. Applies knowledge of embryology; genetics; pharmacology; basic physiology/disease processes; the effects of high intensity noise on the auditory mechanism.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 62083F, 62084F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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.
• 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).
• 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

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: Choose the appropriate answer that describes your education to meet this requirement. Do you have one of the following: 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.
  • 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 the United States state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia.

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.

Audiologist, 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.

Audiologist, GS-12.
Experience. In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level, completion of one (1) 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.

Preferred Experience: Prefer candidate who has experience completing video nystagmography (VNG) evaluations.

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: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of sitting, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching and lifting moderately heavy items.Must be able to push a patient in a wheelchair and assist in transferring from wheelchair to exam chair.

See https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OCHCO/SitePages/D5019.aspx VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred based on Veterans' Preference.

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in a United States state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Resume
• Transcript

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:

• Job title
• Duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
• Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held

Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in a United States state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Resume
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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