Health Technician (Hearing Instruction Specialist)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include but not limited to:
Direct patient care duties may include but not limited to the following:

• Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair
• Performing visual and auditory checks of hearing aids and hearing assistive technology-including all hearing aid accessories as well as alerting devices (troubleshoots performance);
• Fabricating earmold impressions with proper (non-diagnostic) otoscopy;
• Ordering earmolds based on plan of care through prosthetics and fitting and modifying earmolds if necessary;
• Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologists treatment plan including but not limited to realistic expectations communication strategies and/or aural rehabilitation;
• Assisting in set up and delivery of face-to-face and telehealth visits by preparing the equipment for patient evaluation and other audiology procedures including but not limited to daily biologic listening calibration of audiometric equipment and calibration of real-ear equipment;
• Assisting patients with hearing aid connectivity including but not limited to downloading applications (or apps) pairing devices in the app Bluetooth pairing and pairing hearing aid accessories;
• Responsible for ensuring timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical records and that all encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical record and computerized tracking and ordering functions;
• Completes documentation per medical center policy for timeliness for each episode of care and codes procedures as appropriate in the patient record in preparation for co-signature by the audiologist.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification 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.

• 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.

Qualifications

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:
  • Experience. Completion of the Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program for Hearing Aid Specialists;
  • OR
  • Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school that includes coursework related to the field: hearing science human anatomy and physiology hearing instrument science gerontology psychology or other general healthcare areas.
• Licensure or Registration: Individuals must hold a full current and unrestricted license or registration to practice as a Health Technician Hearing Instrument Specialist (HIS) in a state territory commonwealth or the District of Columbia.
  • Loss of Licensure or Registration. A Health Technician (HIS) who fails to maintain the required licensure or registration must be removed from the occupation which may also result in termination of employment.
• Board Certification: Individuals must hold active board certification from the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (NBC-HIS).
  • Exception for Non-Board Certified Health Technician (HIS).
    • Non-board certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for appointment may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate Health Technician (HIS) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B).
    • Non-board certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a licensed audiologist.
    • Non-board certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until board certification is obtained.
    • Temporary appointments of non-board certified Health Technician (HIS) may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.
  • Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases Health Technician (HIS) must actively pursue meeting requirements for board certification starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment the supervisor will provide the Health Technician (HIS) with the written requirements for board certification including the time (i.e. two years) by which the board certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming board certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain board certification during the two-year period may result in termination of employment.
  • Loss of Certification. A Health Technician (HIS) who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation which may also result in termination of employment.
• Foreign Education: To be creditable education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• English Language Proficiency: Health Technician (HIS) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

• Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.
• Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of basic anatomy of the head and neck.
  • Knowledge of basic infection control procedures and guidelines.
  • Skill in using basic computer software to complete tasks such as using email creating spreadsheets and word processing.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
  • Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
  • Ability to maintain stock and supply level inventories.

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy.
  • Knowledge of hearing aids hearing assistive technology hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software.
  • Skill in documenting patient procedures and patient devices.
  • Skill in providing patient education for hearing aid use to include assisting patient with hearing aid insertion removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection).
  • Ability to provide patient education and training regarding hearing loss and communication strategies for various listening situations.
  • Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aids hearing assistive technology and patient care that is consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist.
  • Ability to prepare patient equipment and/or environment for audiology procedures.
  • Ability to provide triage of patient telephone calls or audiology requests.