Health Technician (Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology)

Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology or speech-language pathology education or knowledge and skills represented by licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties.

The duties and responsibilities are conducted through the medical center including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. The incumbent serves under the Supervisory Speech Pathologist or Audiologist with direction from the licensed professional staff (Audiologist or Speech Language Pathologist).

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 61560F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not 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.
• Experience and Education.

1. 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
2. Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with at least12 semester hours in courses related to the position.
   OR
3. 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.

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: incoming devices from patients with concerns related to their hearing aids, hearing assistive technology or cognitive-communication devices; and preparing and charging, if required, assistive devices for delivery. The health technician adheres to the audiology and speech- language pathology clinic policy and standard operating procedures for infection control and cleaning, sterilization and disposition RME including endoscopes and radiation safety.

HTASLP, GS-07

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

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a)Ability to mentor and train new HTASLPs.
(b)Ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performedby the audiologist, such as evoked potentials.
(c)Ability to identify the diagnosis and dysphagia risk factors in themedical record to assist the SLP.
(d)Ability to identify the components of dysphagia monitoring.
(e)Knowledge of linguistic parameters such as semantic, syntactic andphonological categories, to assist in creating therapeutic stimuli andhome programs.
(f)Ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program ina focused area of audiology and/or speech-language pathology.

Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The HTASLP works under the direction of a licensed audiologist or SLP.

Preferred Experience: Audiology Technician or Assistant experience.

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-07.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

English Language Proficiency. HTA, HTSLP or HTASLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.