Health Technician (Audiology) - Direct Hire Authority

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all U.S. Citizens or Nationals. This Vacancy is using the Direct-Hire Authority to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Using the Office of Personnel Management's approved government-wide direct hire authorities, agencies may appoint candidates directly to jobs. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The duties of Health Technician (Audiology) includes but are not limited to the following:

• Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology education, or knowledge and skills represented by audiology licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties.
• Direct patient care includes: Greeting and escorting patients; triaging patients to an audiologist based in complexity of the procedures being completed; patient set-up for procedures (e.g., vestibular, neurodiagnostic procedures); patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting; conducting hearing pass/fail screenings without interpretation; non-diagnostic otoscopy, Cerumen management; taking earmold impressions; hearing aid troubleshooting and report; providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers; performing listening checks on hearing aids; electroacoustic analysis of devices; paring hearing aids and accessories via Bluetooth technology; programming previously stored settings into hearing aids; and activating remote controls.
• The incumbent at this level is required to have knowledge, skills, and abilities to develop and implement the technician role for training new HTA and may hold responsibility for training of the HTA up to and including the full performance level. HTA at this level may also hold responsibility in assisting the Audiologist in training new Telehealth Technicians in the skills needed for care of the hearing aids during telehealth appointments.
• The incumbent is responsible for ensuring timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical record and that all encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical record and computerized tracking and ordering functions via ROES.
• Administrative duties to include: Managing office supplies, tracking loaner stock hearing aid inventory, electronic ordering, verifying orders upon arrival to ensure components are present and working correctly, scheduling appointments; packaging and mailing hearing aids and accessories; processing ROES transactions (e.g.,, certifying and issuing hearing aids, entering orders and repairs); responding to routine inquiries from patients, including determining nature of hearing aid inquiry and responding to administrative questions; assisting patients, visitors, and others requesting information; management of infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology clinic; maintenance of clean, disinfected instrumentation, equipment, and work surfaces in the audiology clinic; reprocessing reusable medical equipment based on facility policy according to Medical Center infection control procedures and reusable medical equipment policies.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 93556-A, 93557-A, 93558-A and 93559-A

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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

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 Proficiency: HTA, HTSLP or HTASLP candidates must be proficient in spoke and written English to be appointed by 38 U.S.C. 7403 (f).
• Experience and Education.
  • Experience. Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled; OR,
  • Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position; OR,
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. An example of a combination of experience/education is three months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled and one year above high school with a minimum of 6 semester hours related to the health care industry.

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:

GS-4 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements above.

Assignment: This is an entry level developmental position. The HTA at this level works independently under the direction of a licensed audiologist.


GS-5 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrated the knowledge skills and abilities related to the duties of the position. For example: answering and screening calls from patients, assisting with walk-in appointments, processing incoming devices from patients with concerns related to their hearing aids or hearing assistive technology, preparing and charging (if required) hearing aids and assistive devices for delivery, or successful completion of four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours in courses related to the position, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to the functions of the occupation.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Knowledge of anatomy of the head and neck.
2. Ability to communicate clearly orally and in writing.
3. Knowledge of basic hearing assistive technologies.
4. Knowledge of basic infection control procedures and guidelines.
5. Ability to maintain stock and supply level inventories.6. Skill in using basic computer software such as email, spreadsheet and word processing.

Assignment. This is a developmental position. The HTA at this level works independently under the direction of a licensed audiologist.

GS-6 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position. For example: completing visual and auditory checks of hearing aids and hearing assistive technology, repairing or returning hearing aids to the factory, restoring hearing aid or hearing assistive technology settings after repair or replacement, ordering, registering, certifying, issuing and tracking prosthetic devices, setting up and delivering face to face and telehealth visits, providing clinical procedures consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care which may include non-diagnostic otoscopy, cerumen management, foreign body removal and ear mold impressions and without interpretation, immittance screening and hearing screening, educating patients, family and staff, completing documentation for each episode of care.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy.
2. Knowledge of hearing physiology and function to educate patients and families.
3. Knowledge of hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software.
4. Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aid, hearing assistive technology and patient care, consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist.
5. Ability to prepare patients for testing procedures.
6. Ability to document and code patient procedures.

Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve as a full performance level HTA. The HTA at this level works independently under the direction of a licensed audiologist.


GS-07: Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled.

In addition, incumbent must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

1. Ability to mentor and train new HTAs;
2. Ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performed by the audiologist, such as evoked potentials, and;
3. Ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology.

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-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-07.

Physical Requirements: Physical requirements are those physical, mental and emotional capabilities and characteristics that are essential for successful job performance. Physical requirements must be clearly supported by the actual duties of the position and documented in the position description or functional statement, and supported by a studies or evaluations establishing physical requirements is job-related to the occupations. An applicant or employee may not be disqualified arbitrarily on the basis of physical requirements or other criteria that do not relate specifically to performance of the duties of a specific position.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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.

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
• CV/Resume
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• 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.

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

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