Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Technician)

This position is located in the Audiology Service at VA Caribbean Healthcare System in Mayaguez Satellite Clinic. The duties and responsibilities are to be carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service. The primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting and diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties.

• Supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Patient charting and patient education.
• Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties.
• Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair.
• Performing visual and auditory checks of hearing aids and hearing assistive technology.
• Fabricating earmold impressions with proper (non-diagnostic) otoscopy; ordering earmolds based on plan of care through prosthetics or DLC and fitting and modifying earmolds.
• Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologist's treatment plan.
• Ensuring timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical records and thatall encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical record and computerized tracking and ordering functions via ROES.
• Completes documentation per medical center policy for timeliness for each episode of care and codes procedures as appropriate in the patient record in preparation for co-signature by the audiologist.
• Maintaining comprehensive supply and equipment tracking systems to include monitoring stock of RME and consumable items.
• Assists patients through triaging phone calls and audiology requests with regards to priority and urgency, following the audiologist's plan of care.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 61330F, 61331F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Maybe authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Maybe authorized

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Health Technician (HIS) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Experience and Education:
• 1. Experience: Completion of the Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program for Hearing Aid Specialists; OR
  2. Education: Successful completion of two academic years above high school that includes coursework related to the field: hearing science, human anatomy and physiology, hearing instrument science, gerontology, psychology or other general healthcare areas.
     • Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. NOTE: There is no combination of education and experience which can be substituted for the basic requirements.
  3. Licensure or Registration: Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license or registration to practice as a HIS in a state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia. (Required)
  4. Board Certification:Individuals must hold active board certification from the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (NBC-HIS))
     • (1) Exception for Non-Board Certified Health Technician (HIS).
       • (a) Non-board certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for appointment, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate Health Technician (HIS) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c).(2)(B).
       • (b) Non-board certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a licensed audiologist.
       • (c) Non-board certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until board certification is obtained.
       • (d) Temporary appointments of non-board certified Health Technician (HIS) may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements outlined in paragraph 3, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
• Health Technician (HIS), GS-05:
  1. Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.
  2. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
     • Knowledge of basic anatomy of the head and neck.
     • Knowledge of basic infection control procedures and guidelines.
     • Skill in using basic computer software to complete tasks such as using email, creating spreadsheets and word processing.
     • Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
     • Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
     • Ability to maintain stock and supply level inventories.
• Health Technician (HIS), GS-06:
  1. Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade, GS-05.
  2. 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 aids, hearing assistive technology, hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software.
     • Skill in documenting patient procedures and patient devices.
     • Skill in providing patient education for hearing aid use, to include assisting patient with hearing aid insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection).
     • Ability to provide patient education and training regarding hearing loss and communication strategies for various listening situations.
     • Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aids, hearing assistive technology and patient care that is consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist.
     • Ability to prepare patient, equipment, and/or environment for audiology procedures. (h) Ability to provide triage of patient telephone calls or audiology requests.

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).

Selective Placement Factor
1. Must be proficient in spoken and written English.
2. Must be proficient in spoken Spanish.

Preferred Experience:

• Clinical Knowledge of Hearing Instrument Technology
• Skills in Patient Interaction and Customer Service
• Competence in Following Clinical Protocols and Technical Procedures.
• Ability to Maintain Accurate Records and Documentation.
• Technical Proficiency with Clinical Equipment and Computer Systems.
• Ability to work effectively in Interdisciplinary Clinical Teams.

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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements: May require the ability to stand or walk for moderate periods, manual dexterity to handle devices and perform otoscopy, capacity to lift and transport moderate equipment (e.g., hearing devices, toolkits), fine coordination of hands/fingers for precise tasks like earmold impressions and auditory checks.

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/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.