Audiologist (Clinical Specialist)

The Audiologist (Clinical Specialists) provides leadership and directs oversight in the design development implementation planning and management of the specialty program. Serves as a coach or facilitator for an interdisciplinary team and is responsible for training all support staff and trainees as it relates to the specialty program. This individual serves as the SME in matters regarding the specialty program.

Typical duties may include but are not limited to:

• Exercises independent clinical judgment and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions needs and expectations.
• Plans coordinates and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function.
• Evaluates patients to determine nature type and severity of hearing and balance disorders using a full range of diagnostic tests and techniques past family and social history record review and consultation with family and other health care practitioners.
• Provides hearing aid evaluations assessments selection fitting orientation training and follow-up services.
• Conducts verification measurements to determine function of hearing.
• Performs compensation and pension examinations medical opinions tinnitus evaluations special auditory and vestibular tests.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program.
• Evaluates the specialty program to ensure deadlines and goals are met.
• Coordinates initiatives and builds consensus among interdisciplinary team members: Attends interdisciplinary team meetings; participates with other health care practitioners to address the global needs of the patient advises on diagnosis and treatment.
• Consults with physicians and other health care practitioners related to diagnostic evaluation and treatment.

Work Schedule: Monday Wednesday-Friday 6:30am - 5:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: FS 62255
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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 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.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Education. Doctor of Audiology (AUD) from an audiology program recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). OR Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Licensure. 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.

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). Employees in VHA in this occupation under a permanent appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held including positive education and licensure where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment specific requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(3) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
(4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional licensure that meets all the basic or assignment specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the occupation.


Grade Determinations: GS-13

Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist with at least one year comparable to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level GS-12 the following KSAs are required:

• Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program.
• Skill to evaluate the specialty program to ensure deadlines and goals are met.
• Skill to coordinate initiatives and build consensus among interdisciplinary team members.
• Ability to monitor and report on work progress in the specialty program to adjust workload and processes.
• Ability to serve as the SME and provide education relating to the specialty program.

GS-12 Level 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.

Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Audiologists (Clinical Specialists) provide leadership and direct oversight in the design development implementation planning and management of the specialty program. They serve as coaches or facilitators for the interdisciplinary team and are responsible for training all support staff and trainees as it relates to the specialty program. These individuals serve as the SME in matters regarding the specialty program.

Preferred Experience: 3 years as Cochlear Implant Audiologist strong commitment to evidence based practice strong organizational and critical thinking skills.

Reference: FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: Part II Appendix G29. For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of sitting bending reaching crouching stooping stretching and lifting moderately heavy items. Must be able to push a patient in a wheelchair and assist in transferring from wheelchair to exam chair.