Audiologist

Veterans Health Administration•Tucson, AZ

33d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located within the Clinical Care Support Service at the Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System (SAVAHCS). Audiologists at this grade level must demonstrate professional knowledge of, and skill in applying, a wide range of theories, principles, and methodologies of the practice of audiology to a wide range of populations. Duties include, but are not limited to: The audiologist at this level conducts, plans, and coordinates all clinical and administrative aspects of a full range of services associated with contemporary audiology practice. Clinical duties and responsibilities include direct patient care of inpatients and outpatients involving a full range of diagnostic and routine audiological examinations, hearing instrument evaluations, auditory monitoring of patients who have been prescribed ototoxic medications, balance evaluation, and treatment services including the selection and fitting of hearing instruments, other amplification systems and devices, aural (auditory) rehabilitation, and counseling of hearing impaired veterans and their families. The audiologist identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals to a full range of patient complexity. He/she administers the full range of tests including the testing of vestibular nerve function; evaluates type and degree of hearing loss for patients who may be unable to provide consistent and reliable reaction to diagnostics. The audiologist is responsible for planning, delivering, and monitoring the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of patient-centered treatment and rehabilitative services for patients with significant physical and psychological complicating conditions; including but not limited to the selection and fitting of all types of hearing instruments; programming of digital hearing instruments; issue of hearing protection devices for prevention of noise induced hearing loss; selection and fitting of assistive devices and assistive listening devices such as personal and FM amplifiers, blue tooth accessories, telephone amplifiers, radio or TV magnetic induction devices for special communication problems; and inspection, evaluation, modification, and repair of amplification devices and ear molds. The audiologist plans, conducts, and coordinates aural rehabilitation, tinnitus, and/or vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients; designs patient-centered treatment plans to assist patient and caregivers in maximizing/restoring physical and social functioning to the greatest extent possible; and designs, monitors, and conducts comprehensive hearing evaluations for employees at risk for noise exposure. The audiologist will be responsible for the proper maintenance and calibration of specialized electroacoustic instrumentation and must have a considerable knowledge of the technical aspects of both the clinical instruments. The audiologist serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult cases and is a recognized subject matter expert on hearing, tinnitus, hearing instruments and balance disorders. The audiologist will remain current with new developments in audiology and will maintain competency by reading professional journals, engaging in continuing education activities, manufacturer conferences and in-services, and other professional learning experiences by communicating with other professionals in the profession and related professions. The staff member will participate in research activities pertinent to clinical audiology as assigned. Although limited research is conducted in the clinical settings, the use of carefully executed audiological procedures may be part of a research design. The staff member may also be requested to assist in gathering clinical research data. The audiologist will be responsible for supervising, evaluating, mentoring, and precepting student trainees in audiology (if assigned) and maintaining a liaison with affiliated colleges and universities. He/she may also provide instruction to medical residents and interns who seek information relating to audiology. Communication is required by this position and the staff member will be expected to attend regular staff meetings and inter-disciplinary health care team meetings as appropriate and assigned. Staff member will also be required to review medical center policies and procedures, attend medical center training, and complete annual mandatory training requirements as assigned.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen.
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.
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.
Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
OR (2) Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the USDE.
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.
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).
Non-Licensed individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a fully licensed audiologists at or above the full performance level.
Non-Licensed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-12 grade level until licensure is obtained.
Temporary appointments of non-Licensed audiologists may not be extended beyond two years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.
To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
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).
Completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
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.

Nice To Haves

5+ years of clinical audiology experience and ability to demonstrate strong diagnostic, counseling, and hearing technology management skills across diverse patient populations.
Specialized training in tinnitus assessment and management, vestibular evaluation and rehabilitation, cochlear implant candidacy assessment and follow-up care, central auditory processing assessment, and/or tele-audiology service delivery is highly favored, but not required.
Candidates should be comfortable providing evidence-based, patient-centered care, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and adapting clinical service to meet patients communication, hearing, and balance needs.

Responsibilities

Conducts, plans, and coordinates all clinical and administrative aspects of a full range of services associated with contemporary audiology practice.
Provides direct patient care of inpatients and outpatients involving a full range of diagnostic and routine audiological examinations, hearing instrument evaluations, auditory monitoring of patients who have been prescribed ototoxic medications, balance evaluation, and treatment services including the selection and fitting of hearing instruments, other amplification systems and devices, aural (auditory) rehabilitation, and counseling of hearing impaired veterans and their families.
Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals to a full range of patient complexity.
Administers the full range of tests including the testing of vestibular nerve function; evaluates type and degree of hearing loss for patients who may be unable to provide consistent and reliable reaction to diagnostics.
Plans, delivers, and monitors the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of patient-centered treatment and rehabilitative services for patients with significant physical and psychological complicating conditions.
Selects and fits all types of hearing instruments; programs digital hearing instruments; issues hearing protection devices for prevention of noise induced hearing loss; selects and fits assistive devices and assistive listening devices such as personal and FM amplifiers, blue tooth accessories, telephone amplifiers, radio or TV magnetic induction devices for special communication problems; and inspects, evaluates, modifies, and repairs amplification devices and ear molds.
Plans, conducts, and coordinates aural rehabilitation, tinnitus, and/or vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients.
Designs patient-centered treatment plans to assist patient and caregivers in maximizing/restoring physical and social functioning to the greatest extent possible.
Designs, monitors, and conducts comprehensive hearing evaluations for employees at risk for noise exposure.
Responsible for the proper maintenance and calibration of specialized electroacoustic instrumentation.
Serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult cases and is a recognized subject matter expert on hearing, tinnitus, hearing instruments and balance disorders.
Remains current with new developments in audiology and maintains competency by reading professional journals, engaging in continuing education activities, manufacturer conferences and in-services, and other professional learning experiences by communicating with other professionals in the profession and related professions.
Participates in research activities pertinent to clinical audiology as assigned.
Assists in gathering clinical research data.
Supervises, evaluates, mentors, and precepts student trainees in audiology (if assigned) and maintains a liaison with affiliated colleges and universities.
Provides instruction to medical residents and interns who seek information relating to audiology.
Attends regular staff meetings and inter-disciplinary health care team meetings as appropriate and assigned.
Reviews medical center policies and procedures, attends medical center training, and completes annual mandatory training requirements as assigned.