Audiologist

<p>This position is for the Columbia VA Health Care System and provide audiology services to deliver consistent and high-quality care to Veterans with hearing and balance disorders. The audiologist at this level conducts audiological assessment, determines a patient's need for and provides amplification and/or medical referral, determines need for and type of audiologic rehabilitation and counsels the hearing-impaired Veteran and their family.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>The mission of the VHA Audiology Service is to optimize the functioning of Veteran patients. Duties are to be carried out throughout all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service. The Audiologist conducts a full range of audiological evaluations to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, determines patients' need for amplification, predicts, and measures the effectiveness of amplification, and determines need for and type of aural rehabilitation and counseling of Veterans with hearing loss and their families. In this entry-level developmental position, audiologist performs assessment and treatment intervention, exercises clinical judgment, adapts clinical procedures and techniques and documents in the medical record appropriate information related to patient care. Duties include, but not limited to: Assess and treat auditory and balance disorders. Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language, and other acoustic signals. Administers the full range of tests including auditory evoked potentials, video nystagmography, tinnitus, and balance assessment; evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss; administers compensation and pension evaluations and provides expert opinions regarding etiology of auditory dysfunctions as needed. Recommends remedial measures to mitigate hearing loss: Responsible for direct services of a remedial and preventative nature. The services encompass the following: selection, evaluation and fitting of hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and accessories, and issuance of hearing protection. Incumbent plans, conducts, and coordinates auditory (aural) rehabilitation, tinnitus and/or vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients; designs patient-centered treatment plans to assist patient and caregivers to maximize and restore to the greatest extent possible physical and social functioning; and designs, monitors, and conducts a comprehensive hearing conservation program for employees at risk for noise exposure. Interacts with patients, families, and other health care professionals. Counsels' patients and family members regarding management of hearing communication, and vestibular disorders. Counsels' patients' family and other health care providers on hearing loss, hearing loss management and provides patient educational resources. Serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult and complex cases. Provides professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals. Serves as consultant to other health care professionals and are recognized as subject matter experts (SME) on matters related to hearing, tinnitus, and balance disorders. The supervisor may assign staff audiologists to any VHA program and setting, such as inpatient or outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, hearing health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, compensation and pension. Independently applies professional contemporary audiology treatments to the full range of patient populations. Apply clinical skills in such areas as hearing conservation, electrophysiological assessment and interpretation, central auditory function assessment and treatment, counseling for coping with tinnitus, and analysis and fitting of advanced amplification technology. Apply knowledge, theories, and techniques to a full range of complex adult patients. Applies knowledge of embryology; genetics; pharmacology; basic physiology/disease processes; the effects of high intensity noise on the auditory mechanism. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 62083F, 62084F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.</p><h3>Requirements</h3>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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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.<h3>Education</h3>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/.