This position is located at Datapoint VA Clinic (DPC) in San Antonio, Texas within the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service. The Audiologist (Clinical Specialist in Cochlear Implants) has special clinical program responsibilities.

Duties

The Audiologist (Clinical Specialist in Cochlear Implants) provides leadership and directs oversight in the design, development, implementation, planning and management of the Cochlear Implant (CI) program. Serves as a coach or facilitator for an interdisciplinary team and is responsible for training all support staff and trainees as it relates to the CI program. This individual serves as the SME in matters regarding the CI program. -Exercises independent clinical judgment and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions, needs, and expectations. Plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function. -Evaluates patients to determine nature, type, and severity of hearing and balance disorders using a full range of diagnostic tests and techniques, past, family, and social history, record review, and consultation with family and other health care practitioners. Provides hearing aid and CI evaluations, assessments, selection, fitting, orientation, training, and follow-up services. Conducts verification measurements to determine function of hearing. -Demonstrates advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty CI program. -Evaluates the CI program to ensure deadlines and goals are met. -Coordinates initiatives and builds consensus among interdisciplinary team members: Attends interdisciplinary team meetings; participates with other health care practitioners to address the global needs of the patient, advises on diagnosis and treatment. Consults with physicians and other health care practitioners related to diagnostic evaluation and treatment. -Monitors and reports on work progress in the CI program to adjust workload and processes. -Serves as the SME and provide education relating to the CI program: Applies advanced theories and techniques to CI and profound hearing loss patient populations, provide professional advice and counseling, and provide consultation in specialized areas of audiology. In addition to clinical duties of an Audiologist (Clinical Specialist), incumbent has special clinical program responsibilities, e.g. inter-disciplinary teams or highly specialized clinical programs or clinical subunits such as cochlear implants. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. Telework: Available, Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. (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. 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. 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). 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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. Preferred Experience: -At least 2 current years of Cochlear Implant mapping experience -At least 2 current years of Cochlear Implant candidacy evaluation experience -Experience with Interdisciplinary team participation -Experience with all 3 cochlear implant manufacturers References: VA Handbook 5005/152 Part II Appendix G29. AUDIOLOGIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0665 Veterans Health Administration September 22, 2022 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Education

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

Accreditation Information: Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Verification of accreditation may be obtained from Programs (asha.org). 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 (USDE). Verification of accreditation may be obtained from DAPIP | Homepage (ed.gov).

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: If your school was accredited by Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed on the websites, or has changed names, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]