This position is located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, a High Complexity Level la VHA facility and Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center.

Duties

The duties of this position are to perform independently the full range of audiological activities for the care of inpatients and outpatients presenting with the most difficult and complex hearing disorders, including those patients whose communicative abilities are compounded by emotional and/or extreme physical symptoms, on an independent basis. FUNCTIONS CLINICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: a. The incumbent serves as clinical Audiology service provider. b. The incumbent engages in the differential diagnosis of the full range of hearing problems associated with functional, mixed, conductive, sensory, neural, sensorineural, and central hearing loss. In diagnosing these problems, the incumbent conducts and interprets the complete range of specialized and refined audiologic test procedures currently available. Included also is the ability to deal professionally with patients who present with inconsistent behavior, conflicting test results, and multiple handicaps that inhibit the utilization of normal audiologic test procedures. c. The incumbent demonstrates competence in the operation and maintenance of diverse and specialized audiometric equipment, including computer facilities and adjunct components. COCHLEAR IMPLANT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES: a. The incumbent serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for cochlear implants for the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service and dedicates no less than 25% of all clinical contact to this pursuit. b. The incumbent possesses advanced clinical knowledge in the audiology profession with emphasis in cochlear implants including: (1) Software experience with the VA cochlear implant devices on contract (2) Use of cochlear implant accessories (3) Advanced troubleshooting techniques (4)Ongoing monitoring of clinical innovations c. Additional cochlear implant clinical program responsibilities include (1) Coordinating all cochlear implant continuing education staff audiologists and residents (2) Facilitating quarterly Cochlear Implant Recipient Workshops (3) Development virtual care modalities for the cochlear implant program including the Telehealth Cochlear Implant Management Program (4) Oversight and training of audiology health technicians related to cochlear implants at all Audiology clinic locations. (5) Coordination of all performance improvement activities related to the cochlear implant program (6) Participation in research with speech processor devices or other therapies resulting in publications and/or presentations. PRECEPTOR RESPONSIBILITIES: a. The incumbent provides preceptor services for 3rd and/or 4th year extems per the request of the Audiology Section Chief for both clinical audiology and cochlear implant services. b. Provides information on cochlear implant outcome measures for Station level OAA Trainee application. SME SUPPORT OF CLINICAL AUDIOLOGY PEERS a. Incumbent provides support including continuing education services to clinical audiology peers. · b. Incumbent confers with clinical peers in CBOCs for coordination of services for patients unable or unwilling to seek services at the main campus. Work Schedule: 7:30am-4pm, Monday- Friday Telework: Available- Ad Hoc basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 70801-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. 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 Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). HR office staff and management officials may verify a program's accreditation from ACAE at acaeaccred.org and CAA at 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 U.S. Department of Education. 2 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( Submit documentation) . 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. (1) The Under Secretary of Health, or designee, may appoint a candidate without a license 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. (2) 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. Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required 3 licensure of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment. HR Office staff must appoint audiologists according to the provisions in VA Handbook, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16, who have, or have ever had, their licensure revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and licensure, where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment specific requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly 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 retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional licensure that meets all the basic or assignment specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) NOTE: This grandfathering provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements. Grade Determinations: Audiologist (Clinical Specialist), GS-13 (1) Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist, with at least one year comparable to the next lower grade level. (2) 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. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Audiologists (Clinical Specialists) provide leadership and direct oversight in the design, development, implementation, planning, and management of the specialty program. They serve as coaches or facilitators for the interdisciplinary team and are responsible for training all support staff and trainees as it relates to the specialty program. These individuals serve as the SME in matters regarding the specialty program. Preferred Experience: Advanced clinical knowledge and experience with VA cochlear implant devices and accessories. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

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

Contacts

• Address James A Haley Veterans Hospital 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 US
• Name: Davina Cook
• Phone: 407-631-8616
• Email: [email protected]