Audiologist (Recruitment/Relocation Incentive)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 80,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The El Paso VA Health Care System Audiology Department is seeking an Audiologist to provide clinical care across the medical center. Responsibilities include assessments and treatments for auditory and balance disorders, with a focus on adult patients, and collaboration with other health care professionals.

Basic requirements include U.S. citizenship, Doctor of Audiology or related doctoral degree, and a full, current license to practice audiology in the United States.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Audiology or other related doctoral degree.
• Full, current, unrestricted license to practice audiology in the U.S.
• Temporary GS-11 appointment possible for non-licensed graduates.
• Experience with audiology assessments and vestibular evaluations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat auditory and balance disorders across clinical settings.
• Counsel patients and families on management of hearing disorders.
• Provide professional consultation to health care professionals and apply contemporary treatments.

Skills

Knowledge of audiology KSAs

Patient counseling

Interprofessional collaboration

Contemporary audiology treatments

Education

Doctor of Audiology (AUD) or related Doctoral degree

ACAE/CAA/ASHA accreditation

Tools

VISTA

CPRS

ROES

Job description

This position will be located in the El Paso VA Health Care System Audiology Department. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. Applicants pending the completion of licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

HPTs who are on track to graduate/complete the requirements should respond as if they have met the requirements. Provide details in the narrative sections of the assessment.

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 Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) (https://apps.asha.org/eweb/ashadynamicpage.aspx?site=ashacms&webcode=caalisting&caacat=aud) . OR
  • 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. 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
• Exception for Non-Licensed Audiologist
  • Non-Licensed applicants 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).

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

Audiologist, GS-11:

Education: None beyond the basic requirements:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

• Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders.
• Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA.
• Ability to interact with patients, families, and other health care professionals.

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).

• Skill in determining nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.
• Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals.
• Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in providing care to adults, 18 years of age and older and doctoral level audiologists (either Au.D. or PhD).
• Knowledge with contemporary audiology practice (basic audiology, being able to recognize psychogenic hearing loss/non organic hearing loss, etc.), as described in the American Academy of Audiology Scope of practice.
• Experienced with administrating vestibular studies and tinnitus evaluation.
• Knowledge with VISTA, CPRS, and ROES.
• Experience submitting additional consults to other medical providers professions if diagnosis indicated, according to type and configuration of hearing loss, site of lesion in vestibular pathology.

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-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:

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.