This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals. Evaluation includes identification of nature, type, and severity of hearing and balance disorders, past family and social history, record review, and consultation with family and other health care practitioners. Administers the full range of tests including audiological evaluations, acoustic immittance, fitting of hearing aids and other prosthetic devices, special auditory tests, and otoacoustic emissions (OAE). Provides remedial and preventative services including use of hearing aids, selection of hearing aids appropriate to severity of loss and abilities of patient (monaural/binaural/CROS/BiCROS), recommendations for special ear molds when necessary due to severity of hearing loss/allergies/other factors, recommends special instruments such as amplifiers for telephone/radio/TV or other personal listening devices, routine hearing aid inspection and repair, cerumen management. Exercises independent clinical judgement and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate needs, expectations, age-specific and unique patient conditions, and difficult and complex cases. Consults with physicians and other health care practitioners related to diagnostic evaluation and treatment. Incumbent has advanced skill required for providing recommendations for evaluation and treatment of patients with vestibular pathology and all other audiologic related services. Documents in the medical record: evaluation, diagnosis and clinical opinion, treatment plans, outcomes of treatment, changes in functional status, and patient/family education. Attends interdisciplinary team meetings when necessary, participates with other health care professionals to address the global needs of the patient, advises on diagnosis and treatment. Incumbent has skill set requiring knowledge of effects of TBI. Recommends rehabilitation programs for patients with significant physical and psychological complicating conditions. Designs training plans to assist patients and caregivers in utilizing available hearing resources. Assists in planning and coordinating the implementation of all audiology services to include consults, schedules, equipment, and computer-based activities within the audiological service. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0800 - 1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected]. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The CAA is the only accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit entry-level audiology programs. HR office staff and management officials may verify the program accredited from CAA at www.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 USDE. 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. 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. Non-licensed audiologists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate audiologist at the GS-11 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that these audiologists provide care only under the supervision of fully licensed audiologists. Individuals appointed as graduate audiologists may not be promoted to the GS-12 level without being fully licensed. Failure to Obtain Licensure. In all cases, the graduate audiologists must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. HR office staff will provide unlicensed audiologists with written requirements to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Written notices must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but previously met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Audiologists may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Audiologists initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Audiologists who are appointed temporarily 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 meet the basic requirements of the standard. Audiologists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and 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. English Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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-11 Audiologist Education. None beyond the basic requirements. The following KSAs are required: Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders. Ability to interact with patients, families and other health care professionals. Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA. GS-12 Audiologist Licensure. The incumbent must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license in a State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. Experience. In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower grade 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/38 PART II APPENDIX G29 II-G29-1 APPENDIX G-29. AUDIOLOGIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-665 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: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking; Standing; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted);

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Hector Jebulan
• Phone: (253) 582-8440 X75538
• Email: [email protected]