The Finger Lakes VAHCS is currently recruiting for an Audiologist in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at the Rochester Outpatient Clinic. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the CBOC including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. The audiologist at this level plans, conducts, and coordinates all aspects of diagnostic evaluation and treatment of hearing impairment and/or balance disorders.

Duties

Major Duties: The audiologist at this level plans, conducts, and coordinates a full range of audiology and balance evaluation and treatment intervention, including fitting and selection of hearing aids and assistive devices, auditory (aural) rehabilitation, and counseling of the hearing-impaired veteran and their family. The incumbent at this level is responsible for providing audiological services to patients who reside in a large geographical area and will conduct, plan, and coordinate all clinics and administrative aspects of a full range of services. Those patients displaying unusually severe and/or multiple impairments may be assigned to the incumbent. The services provided by this individual are available not only to patients at the hospital in which the clinic is located; but also to patients at other VA hospitals in the region and patients who are geographically closer to it than any other Audiology Clinic. Services in Audiology are provided through many different modalities, and can include direct patient care, telehealth, VVC, and remote programming. The incumbent is responsible for treatment and rehabilitative services including, but not limited to: fitting and selection of all types of hearing aids; cerumen removal; ear impressions; programming of digital hearing aids; selection and fitting of assistive devices and assistive listening devices such as personal and FM amplifiers, telephone amplifiers, etc.; inspection, modification, and repair of amplification devices and ear molds; and hearing conservation for employees at risk for noise exposure. The incumbent will perform special audiological procedures for a diverse range of disease conditions (site of lesions tests, ABR, OAE, and VNG) for the purpose of differential diagnosis of auditory and balance disorders. Other testing includes tinnitus evaluations, central auditory processing (CAP) testing, bone anchored hearing aid evaluations (Baha), and cochlear implant services. The incumbent will be responsible for conducting compensation and pension examinations, the results of which will be utilized in the assessment of hearing impairment for adjudication and medico-legal purposes. The incumbent will also counsel veterans and their families, and other persons responsible for his/her care, about the nature, degree, and effect of hearing impairment and treatment options. The incumbent will be responsible for providing a comprehensive program of aural (auditory) rehabilitation for hearing-impaired patients and/or groups/families. Such programs may consist of instruction in the effective use of amplification, listening strategies, and optimizing residual hearing. The incumbent will be responsible for assisting the supervisory audiologist in the instruction, supervision, mentoring, and precepting of student trainees in audiology. The incumbent may also provide instruction to residents and interns who seek information related to audiology. The incumbent will be responsible for the proper maintenance and calibration of the specialized electroacoustic instrumentation. The incumbent must have a considerable knowledge of the technical aspects of both the clinical instruments as well as the calibration instruments. The incumbent will be responsible for maintaining supplies, equipment, and clinical areas to optimize safety and efficiency. The incumbent maintains a high degree of professional competence through continued education and completes all documentation in accordance with facility policy. The incumbent may participate in research activities pertinent to clinical audiology. Although limited research is conducted in the clinical setting, the incumbent may be requested to assist in gathering clinical research data. 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. Communication is required by this position and the incumbent will be expected to attend regular staff meetings and inter-disciplinary heath care team meetings as appropriate; review policies and procedures and attend in-service training. The incumbent at this grade level performs ancillary assignments, including program management duties on as occasional basis. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. 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. 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. Grandfathering Provision: All audiologists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted [up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or (changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or 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 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. (4) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. English Language Proficiency: Audiologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Grade Determinations: 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 5005/38 PART II APPENDIX G29

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 Canandaigua VA Medical Center 400 Fort Hill Ave Canandaigua, NY 14424 US
• Name: Emily Donnan
• Phone: 716-293-1567
• Email: [email protected]