Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist)

Veterans Health Administration • Houston, TX

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist) is part of the Audiology Section at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. The position carries out duties in clinical and other patient-care areas involving Audiology. The full-performance level is GS-06; applicants may be selected at GS-05 or GS-06. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., subject to change based on facility needs. Telework is available, but this is not a virtual position.

The technician supports audiology care by checking hearing aids and assistive technology, preparing patients and equipment for audiology procedures, providing patient education consistent with an audiologist’s plan of care, and helping triage patient requests. The role also includes earmold tasks and maintaining supplies and equipment. Non-board-certified appointees may only provide care under a licensed audiologist’s supervision and may be appointed at GS-05 temporarily, subject to the stated certification and appointment limits.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified U.S. citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Either completion of the Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program for Hearing Aid Specialists, or successful completion of two academic years above high school including relevant coursework such as hearing science, anatomy and physiology, hearing instrument science, gerontology, psychology, or other general healthcare areas. Education and experience cannot be combined to substitute for these basic requirements.
• A full, current, unrestricted state, territory, commonwealth, or District of Columbia license or registration to practice as a Hearing Instrument Specialist.
• Active board certification from the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (NBC-HIS), except where the stated temporary graduate Health Technician exception applies.
• For GS-05: knowledge of basic head and neck anatomy and infection-control procedures; skill with basic computer software, including email, spreadsheets, and word processing; ability to communicate orally and in writing, follow instructions, and maintain supply inventories.
• For GS-06: one year of experience equivalent to GS-05; knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy, hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, manufacturers, and manufacturer software; skill documenting procedures and devices and educating patients on hearing aid use, insertion, removal, and hygiene; ability to educate patients on hearing loss and communication strategies, make care-consistent decisions under audiologist supervision, prepare patients/equipment/environments for procedures, and triage patient requests.
• Meet pre-employment screening and onboarding requirements, including applicable drug testing, background/security investigation, physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as specified by the agency.
• Foreign education must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. education by an appropriate private credential evaluation organization; transcripts and equivalency documentation are required.
• Education used to qualify must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and come from an accredited institution.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in an outpatient clinic.

Responsibilities

• Perform visual and auditory checks and troubleshoot hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, accessories, and alerting devices.
• Take earmold impressions using proper non-diagnostic otoscopy; order earmolds based on the plan of care through prosthetics or DLC; fit and modify earmolds as needed.
• Provide basic hearing aid information to patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologist’s treatment plan, including realistic expectations, communication strategies, and aural rehabilitation.
• Assist with setup and delivery of face-to-face and telehealth visits by preparing equipment for patient evaluations and audiology procedures.
• Perform daily biologic listening calibration of audiometric equipment and calibration of real-ear equipment.
• Maintain supply and equipment tracking systems, monitor stock of reusable medical equipment and consumables, and ensure appropriate inventory levels.
• Prioritize acquisition of supplies and equipment according to expiration dates and maintain a loaner hearing aid inventory as needed.
• Triage patient phone calls and audiology requests by priority and urgency, following the audiologist’s plan of care.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment for the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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