Health Technician (Audiology)

Veterans Health Administration • Ventura, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service within the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. The Health Technician supports clinical programs in Audiology and performs duties in clinical and other patient-care areas involved with the service.

The role combines direct patient care with administrative and clinic-support responsibilities. Patient-care duties include preparing patients for procedures, providing basic hearing-aid guidance, carrying out non-diagnostic hearing-related tasks, and assisting with hearing aids and accessories. Administrative and clinic-support duties include scheduling, inventory and order management, processing hearing-aid transactions, responding to routine inquiries, and maintaining infection control, patient safety, equipment, and clinical supplies.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling is at management's discretion. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change-of-station authorization are not available.

The full performance level is GS-07. The incumbent must be able to sit, stand, and walk for prolonged periods, use a high degree of eye-hand coordination when handling small hearing-aid and earmold components, and occasionally assist or lift a patient. Employment requires U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, a background/security investigation, a pre-employment physical evaluation, and participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program. Selected applicants must serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet the basic experience and education requirement through one of the following: six months of comparable experience; two academic years above high school leading to an associate or bachelor's degree, including at least 12 semester hours in related courses; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• For GS-07: one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, directly related to the position.
• Demonstrate the ability to mentor and train new Health Technicians in Audiology.
• Demonstrate the ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performed by an audiologist, such as evoked potentials.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology.
• Complete all required application steps, including the online assessment.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including a physical evaluation and, for applicants tentatively selected for testing-designated positions, urinalysis for illegal drug use.
• Meet background and security investigation requirements and complete online onboarding.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve the required one- or two-year trial period.
• Be able to sit, stand, and walk for prolonged periods; have a high degree of eye-hand coordination for small components; and occasionally assist or lift a patient.
• If qualifying with education, use education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited institutions; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency and transcript.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Applicants may qualify under the Grandfathering Provision described in the VA qualification standard if they are current VHA employees in this occupation and meet its criteria.
• Prior work experience or military service may be considered for credit toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

Responsibilities

• Greet and escort patients.
• Set up patients for procedures, including vestibular and neurodiagnostic procedures.
• Instruct and counsel patients individually or in groups about hearing loss and hearing aids.
• Conduct hearing pass/fail screenings without interpretation.
• Perform non-diagnostic otoscopy and cerumen management.
• Take earmold impressions.
• Troubleshoot and repair hearing aids; provide basic hearing-aid information to patients and caregivers; and perform listening checks.
• Conduct electroacoustic analysis of devices.
• Pair hearing aids and accessories using Bluetooth technology, program previously stored settings into hearing aids, and activate remote controls.
• Manage office supplies and track loaner hearing-aid inventory.
• Order supplies and equipment electronically, and verify that orders are complete and components work correctly upon arrival.
• Schedule appointments.
• Package and mail hearing aids and accessories.
• Process ROES transactions, including certifying and issuing hearing aids and entering orders and repairs.
• Respond to routine patient inquiries, determine the nature of hearing-aid inquiries, and answer administrative questions.
• Assist patients, visitors, and others requesting information.
• Manage infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology clinic.
• Maintain clean, disinfected instrumentation, equipment, and work surfaces.
• Reprocess reusable medical equipment according to facility policy and Medical Center infection-control and reusable-equipment procedures.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family, subject to eligibility based on position type.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree