Health Technician (Audiology)

Veterans Health Administration; Tennessee; On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration invites applications for a Health Technician (Audiology) position within the VA Bedford Healthcare System in Bedford, MA. This full-time role supports audiology operations and patient care under the supervision of a licensed audiologist.

Applicants must meet basic requirements related to citizenship, education, and KSAs, with potential grandfathering where applicable. GTAs include KSAs in anatomy, communication, infection control, hearing aids, and documentation.

Qualifications

• US citizenship is required; non-citizens only as permitted by VA policy.
• Six months of experience or an equivalent combination of experience/education.
• Two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree with 12 semester hours in related courses.
• Foreign education must be evaluated for equivalence to US standards.

Skills

Communication skills

Anatomy knowledge

Hearing assistive technologies

Infection control

Inventory management

Basic computer skills

Education

Associate or bachelor’s degree with related coursework

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Tools

Email/Spreadsheet/Word processing

Hearing aid software

Job description

This Health Technician (Audiology) position is located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Services at the VA Bedford Healthcare System, in Bedford, MA. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

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.
• Experience and Education:
  • Experience. Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. OR
  • Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position. OR
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. An example of a combination of experience/education is three months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled and one year above high school with a minimum of 6 semester hours related to the health care industry.
• Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required certification identified for the HTA, GS-08 position must be removed from the assignment, which may also result in termination of employment.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
• English Language Proficiency: HTA, HTSLP or HTASLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7402 (d).

Grandfathering Provision

All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard (05/31/2021) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

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

HTA, GS-04: Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

HTA, GS-05:

Experience. One year of experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-04) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled.

OR

Education. Successful completion of four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours in courses related to the position or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to the functions of the occupation.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, Abilities. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of anatomy of the head and neck.
• Ability to communicate clearly orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of basic hearing assistive technologies.
• Knowledge of basic infection control procedures and guidelines.
• Ability to maintain stock and supply level inventories.
• Skill in using basic computer software such as email, spreadsheet and word processing.

HTA, GS-06:

Experience. Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-05 directly related to the position being filled.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy.
• Knowledge of hearing physiology and function to educate patients and families.
• Knowledge of hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software.
• Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aid, hearing assistive technology and patient care, consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist.
• Ability to prepare patients for testing procedures.
• Ability to document and code patient procedures.

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-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-06.

Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.