Audiologist (Clinical Specialist) - Vestibular Services

Incumbent functions as the Program Coordinator of the NWI VAHCS Vestibular Program and is responsible for providing comprehensive clinical services, and coordinating and overseeing the program. The incumbent is expected to carry out general duty assignments but also serves as the subject matter expert for health care providers regarding delivery of care in the area of vestibular disorders. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of specialized procedures and tests in evaluating vestibular disorders.

Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• The incumbent at this grade level is an advanced-practice, independent, licensed practitioner and applies advanced audiology knowledge, theories, and techniques to a full range of complex patient populations. In addition to clinical duties of a staff audiologist at the full practice level, incumbent has special clinical program responsibilities for implementation and ongoing operation of vestibular audiology services.
• In carrying out the clinical duties and responsibilities of this position, the incumbent: uses knowledge of contemporary audiology practice; exercises independent clinical judgment and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions, needs, and expectations; consults with physicians and other health care practitioners related to diagnostic evaluation and treatment; evaluates patients to determine nature, type, and severity of hearing disorders using a full range of diagnostic tests and techniques; extensive history taking, record review and consultation with family and other health care practitioners; plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function; documents in the medical record: evaluation results, diagnosis and clinical opinion, treatment plans, outcomes of treatment, changes in functional status and patient/family education; attends interdisciplinary team meetings; participates with other health care practitioners to address the global needs of the patient; advises on diagnosis and treatment; applies advanced theories and techniques to special patient populations, provides professional advice and counseling, and provide consultation as the SME in vestibular disorders for audiology.
• The incumbent is responsible for the oversight of the Vestibular Program for audiology: provides vestibular evaluation and treatment with an in-depth understanding of complex and difficult patients with multiple physical, sensory, motor, cognitive, or other issues that may complicate care; demonstrates advanced competence in the examination and treatment of patients with vestibular disorders; serves as a SME in the area vestibular disorders; reviews, updates and maintains policies and procedures related to the Vestibular Program; articulates and communicates goals, objectives, and focused initiatives to associated staff of the Vestibular Program, as well as guiding the team members on work methods, practices, and procedures; consults with the interdisciplinary team which includes primary care, neurology, otolaryngology, and pharmacy, creating and maintaining an ongoing working relationship within NWI VAHCS, for provision of vestibular services; and continually monitors and tracks the efficacy and quality of the program to make suggestions for ongoing improvement.
• The incumbent provides orientation/training of medical staff; assists in orientation and training of new staff; assists in the training and supervision of students, trainees, and fellows, providing feedback on progress toward established educational goals; keeps current with theory and practice through continuing education programs, journals, textbooks, and other literature, and in-service programs; provides patient and family education including informed consent; and follows applicable informed consent, HIPAA rules on privacy and protecting patient rights.
• In carrying out the administrative duties and responsibilities of the position, incumbent: functions as Vestibular Program Coordinator; uses knowledge of contemporary audiology practices; articulates and communicates goals, objectives, and focused initiatives for a specialized clinical program, as well as guiding other service staff members on work methods, practices, and procedures; coaches the clinical team, evaluates, and tracks the performance of the vestibular program and makes recommendations for improvement; creates and maintains the handouts, training guides, questionnaires, and presentations for vestibular disorders and testing; and obtains assistance from supervisors or program managers on problems that may arise.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm
Telework: Not Eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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:
  • 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
  • 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.
    • NOTE: Effective January 1, 2007, the CAA in Audiology and 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.

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 (Clinical Specialist), GS-13:

• Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist, with at least one year comparable to the next lower grade (GS-12) level.
  • GS-12 level experience includes:
    • 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.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the following KSAs are required:
  • Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program.
  • Skill to evaluate the specialty program to ensure deadlines and goals are met.
  • Skill to coordinate initiatives and build consensus among interdisciplinary team members.
  • Ability to monitor and report on work progress in the specialty program to adjust workload and processes.
  • Ability to serve as the SME and provide education relating to the specialty program.

Preferred Experience: Experience completing comprehensive vestibular services. Experience completing posturography evaluations. Experience training Audiology doctoral students at all levels in vestibular evaluations.

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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.
• 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.