Staff Audiologist (Float) positions located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at Orlando VA Healthcare System. There are two positions, one based out of the Lake Baldwin campus and the other one is based out of the Lake Nona campus.

Duties

The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the healthcare system including all clinical and patient care areas involved with the service including future sites of care not specifically listed. The incumbent is assigned to a primary duty station but will routinely cover at other sites in accordance with facility policy. This position routinely floats between all sites of care, including but not limited to: Daytona Beach, Deltona, Lake Baldwin, Lake Nona Tavares, and Viera clinics as needed. The Audiologist at this level plans, conducts, and coordinates all aspects of diagnostic evaluation and treatment of hearing impairment and/or balance disorders. The incumbent at this grade level must demonstrate professional knowledge of, and skill in applying a wide range of theories, principles, and methodologies of the practice of audiology to a wide range of populations. The incumbent is an independent licensed practitioner and is considered to be at the full performance level. The incumbent operates under the clinical privileges. Clinical duties and responsibilities include direct patient care involving a full range of audiology and balance evaluation and treatment services, including the selection and fitting of hearing aids and other amplification systems and devices, aural (auditory) rehabilitation, and counseling of hearing-impaired veterans and their family. Other position duties: Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language and other acoustic to a full range of patient complexity. Administers the full range of tests including the testing of vestibular nerve function and vestibular rehabilitation, evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss for patients who may be unable to provide consistent and reliable reaction to diagnostics. Responsible for planning, delivering, and monitoring the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of patient-centered treatment and rehabilitative services for patients with significant physical and psychological complicating conditions; including, but not limited to, the selecting and fitting of all types of hearing aids and associated technology; programming of digital hearing aids and associated technology; issuance of hearing protection of devices for the prevention of acoustic trauma for those individuals working in a noisy environment; selection and fitting of assistive devices and assistive listening devices such as personal and FM amplifiers; telephone amplifiers, radio and TV magnetic induction devices for special communication problems, and inspection, modification, and repair of amplification devices and ear molds. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, to be determined by the needs of the service Telework: Available - ad hoc only, to be determined by the needs of the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 81653F & 81654F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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 Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: (1) 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 (2) 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. 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. 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. 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. The Under Secretary of Health, or designee, in VHA Central Office may waive the requirement for licensure under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 of a candidate who will be assigned to a research, academic or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. In such instances, HR office staff can only appoint these candidates in exceptional circumstances where their credentials demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. 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. 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 in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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: (a) Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders. (b) Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA. (c) Ability to interact with patients, families and other health care professionals. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in audiologist entry-level developmental positions. Audiologists perform audiology assessment and treatment intervention, exercise clinical judgment, adapt clinical procedures and techniques and document in the medical record appropriate information related to patient care. Audiologist, GS-12. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the following KSAs are required: (a) Skill in determining nature, type and severity of hearing/communication /vestibular disorders. (b) Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders (c) Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals. (d) Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations. Assignment. This is the full performance level for staff audiologists. At this level, audiologists are licensed to practice independently in the provision of audiologic services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. Audiologists serve as consultants to other health care professionals and are recognized 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. Audiologists diagnose audiologic disorders, conduct audiologic or neuro-audiologic assessments, treat auditory disorders through a various modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for the treatment of medical disorders. Audiologists consult with medical center staff on various patient care issues. Staff audiologists may be involved in program evaluation, teaching, training and research activities. Among the modalities provided are individual, family and group audiologic rehabilitation. References: VA Handbook 5005/152, Part II, Appendix G29, Audiologist Qualification Standards Dated 09/22/2022 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: Work is primarily sedentary, and most of the duties can be accomplished sitting comfortably, while others require walking, standing, bending, and carrying or moving items, such as carts, notebooks, papers, and books. The work is performed in an office and Medical Center setting. Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. The work environment includes everyday low risks, or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of offices.

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 Orlando VA Medical Center 13800 Veterans Way Orlando, FL 32827 US
• Name: Olivia Gregg
• Phone: 407-640-1476
• Email: [email protected]