Audiologist (Clinical Specialist)

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

In carrying out clinical duties and responsibilities of the position, the incumbent:

• Uses best practices in audiology at NAVAHCS including audiologic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations, immittance testing, otoacoustic emissions, verification and cerumen management.
• Exercises independent clinical judgment and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions, needs and expectations.
• Provides ALDs as needed for Domiciliary and Centers for Community Living patients.
• Provides adequate clinic time and referrals as needed for TBI, stroke and certain geriatric patients to auditory processing and aural rehabilitation (speech pathology), geriatric management (social workers) and tinnitus and cochlear implant patients (Phoenix VA audiology).
• Provides diagnostic criteria to all providers for referral to audiology or ED (sudden hearing loss, draining ears, severe vertigo).
• Evaluates patients to determine nature, type and severity of hearing and balance disorders using a full range of diagnostic tests and techniques, family and social history, records review and consultation with family and other health care practitioners.
• Conducts face to face and ACE compensation and pension evaluations for hearing loss and tinnitus due to military service.
• Plans, coordinates and implements a full range of patient focused treatment services designed to optimize function.
• Provides handouts and conducts patient in services to address the following: Difficulty hearing in noise; tinnitus and tinnitus maskers; dizziness; hearing aids; hearing aid maintenance and swimmer's ear.
• Uses privacy standards for patient treatment and education to include family members and authorized caregivers.
• Incumbent functions as a team leader and is responsible for ensuring that work assignments of other members of the clinical team are carried out by performing a range of duties such as distributing and balancing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization.
• Evaluates clinic schedules daily and weekly for audiologists and audiology technicians to ensure clinic appointments are appropriately scheduled, including C&P evaluations, audiologic and hearing aid evaluations, hearing aid fittings and follow up.
• Oversees consult list to ensure consults are received, scheduled or placed on EWL within seven days.
• Oversees consult service tracking list weekly to determine if consults should be rescheduled, cancelled or discontinued according to VHA Outpatient Scheduling Policy and Procedures.
• Monitors schedules with MSAs daily to fill cancellations, add unscheduled visits or add overbooks.
• Assists MSAs in determining patient requirements in consult scheduling - audiologic or hearing aid evaluations, follow ups or walk in clinic.
• Monitors patient totals, weekly and monthly, to determine staffing requirements at NAVAHCS and Flagstaff CBOC.
• Prioritizes appointments for scheduling depending upon consult request, degree of hearing loss, age, medical issues and other factors, as needed.
• Coordinates with Community Managed Care or non-VA care, depending upon patient needs.
• Coordinates services with Community Managed Care and non-VA care audiologists. Familiarizes audiologists using VA guidelines on audiologic and hearing aid services.
• Orders and certifies hearing aids from VA for Choice and non-VA care audiologists.
• Monitors DALC monthly hearing aid list, certifying, coordinating hearing aid fittings or return for credit.
• Uses computer spreadsheet to ensure all hearing aids, ALDs, repairs and loss and damage are ordered and scheduled.
• Coordinates with C&P in Primary Care to schedule and provide face to face and ACE examinations.
• Provides addendums or re-evaluate patients from outside contractors for C&P examinations as requested by VARO.
• Works with NAVAHCS Decision Support System (DSS) on audiology and hearing aid coding.
• Maintains and schedules calibrations, oversees equipment repairs and replacements.
• Maintains in good working order all clinic equipment and troubleshoots equipment issues with Biomed.
• Participates in ordering any new equipment or requests equipment repairs through Biomed.
• Completes annual inventory of equipment.
• Conducts SHA examinations for C&P, overbooking schedules if necessary.
• Coordinates schedules with MSAs for day-to-day adjustments.
• Manages day-to-day operations of clinic and plans for future needs.
• Provides information and data required to implement overtime, including evening and Saturday clinics.
• Notifies managers of budget constraints from Prosthetics and Biomed regarding hearing aids, ALDs, equipment and equipment repairs.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30am to 4:00pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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 evaluation.
• 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

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2007, the CAA in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology.
  • 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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Audiologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

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 (Clinical Specialist), GS-13

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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); Light carrying (under 15 pounds); Use of fingers; Walking (1 hour), Standing (4 hours); Near vision correctable at 13' to 16' to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid permitted). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

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

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)

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.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• Full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology.
• PCS Orders
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• 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.

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