The Audiologist is assigned to the Ocala Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) - Audiology Section - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service - North Florida/South Georgia VA Health System (NF/SG VAHS). The duties include clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. The Audiologist conducts assessments to determine a patient's need for amplification and determines need/type of aural rehabilitation/counseling of hearing impaired veterans and their families.

Duties

The Audiologist conducts a full range of audiological evaluations to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, determines patients' need for amplification, predicts, and measures the effectiveness of amplification, and determines need for and type of aural rehabilitation and counseling of Veterans with hearing loss and their families. At the GS-11 level, the Audiologist is in a developmental position under the supervision of a GS-12 Audiologist or above. Duties may include but are not limited to: Performs functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) or the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Assesses and treats auditory and balance disorders: Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals. Administers the full range of tests including auditory evoked potentials, video nystagmography, tinnitus, and balance assessment; evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss; administers compensation and pension evaluations and provides expert opinions regarding etiology of auditory dysfunctions as needed. Recommends measures to mitigate hearing loss: Responsible for direct services of a remedial and preventative nature. The services encompass the following: selection, evaluation and fitting of hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and accessories; issuance of hearing protection. Incumbent plans, conducts, and coordinates auditory (aural) rehabilitation, tinnitus, and/or vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients; designs patient-centered treatment plans to assist patient and caregivers to maximize and restore to the greatest extent possible physical and social functioning; and designs, monitors, and conducts a comprehensive hearing conservation program for employees at risk for noise exposure. Interacts with patients, families, and other health care professionals: Counsels patients family and other health care providers on hearing loss, hearing loss management and provides patient educational resources. Incumbent serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult and complex cases and is recognized as a subject matter expert on matters relating to hearing, tinnitus, and balance disorders. Performs other duties as assigned. At the GS-12 level, an Audiologist is at the full performance level and is licensed to practice independently in the provision of audiologic services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. The incumbent's duties may include but are not limited to: Assess the nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders: Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals. Administers the full range of tests including auditory evoked potentials, video nystagmography, tinnitus, and balance assessment; evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss; administers compensation and pension evaluations and provides an expert opinion regarding etiology of auditory dysfunctions as needed. Recommends remedial measures to mitigate hearing loss. Counsels patients and family members regarding management of hearing communication, and vestibular disorders. Provides professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals: Serves as consultant 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 audiologist to any VHA program and setting, such as inpatient or outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, hearing health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, compensation and pension. Independently applies professional contemporary audiology treatments to the full range of patient populations: Applies clinical skills in such areas as hearing conservation, electrophysiological assessment and interpretation, central auditory function assessment and treatment, counseling for coping with tinnitus, and analysis and fitting of advanced amplification technology. Applies knowledge, theories, and techniques to a full range of complex adult patients. Applies knowledge of embryology; genetics; pharmacology; basic physiology/disease processes; the effects of high intensity noise on the auditory mechanism. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD51898F and PD51899F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not 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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g., of the referenced Qualification Standard.) English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, of the referenced Qualification Standard. Education-TRANSCRIPTS SUBMITTED. Applicants must meet one of the following minimum education requirements to qualify as an Audiologist: Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American SpeechLanguage-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. 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. EXCEPTION: 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. In all cases, the graduate audiologists must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment. GRADE REQUIREMENTS The full performance level for Audiologists is the GS-12 grade level. In addition to the Basic Requirements, the following are the grade requirements. Grade Determinations: GS-11 Audiologist - Developmental Level - Education and/or Experience AND Licensure: No Education nor Experience are required beyond the Basic Requirements. 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. EXCEPTION: 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. In all cases, the graduate audiologists must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment. Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, 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. GS-12 Audiologist - Full Performance Level - Experience AND Licensure: Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. -AND- Licensure-SUBMITTED. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G29, Dated September 22, 2022 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: It is VA policy to ensure that all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit to perform the duties of the position to which assigned. A pre-placement physical examination is required for all full-time, part-time and intermittent employees identified by VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment to determine the physical and mental fitness for candidates for appointment in VA. The examination will be concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and will include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. The work is primarily sedentary, but may require some walking, bending, stooping, standing, stretching, and carrying objects. The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty.

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 Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US
• Name: Diana Dieringer
• Phone: 727-398-6661 X64162
• Email: [email protected]