Basic Requirements:
a. Citizenship.
Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
b. 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 3 Speech- Language Pathology of ASHA accredits
only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology.
c. 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.
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.
Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required licensure of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
HR Office staff must appoint audiologists according to the provisions in VA Handbook, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16, who have, or have ever had, their licensure revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status.
d. 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 reentry 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.
e. Foreign Education.
To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. f. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. 5 g. English Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
Grade Determinations:
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.
(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the following KSAs are required (this experience must be shown within resume):
(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.
(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. Audiologists (Clinical Specialists) provide leadership and direct oversight in the design, development, implementation, planning, and management of the specialty program. They serve as coaches or facilitators for the interdisciplinary team and are responsible for training all support staff and trainees as it relates to the specialty program. These individuals serve as the SME in matters regarding the specialty program.
Preferred Experience: Experience with tinnitus management as well as with the Progressive Tinnitus Management Program
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 GS-13.