Lead Health Technician (Audiology)

Summary

This position is located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and it's CBOC satellites. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the service. The Lead Health Technician (Audiology) supports the function of the clinical programs in Audiology.

Duties

Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting, and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology education or the knowledge and skills represented by audiology licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties. Direct patient care and administrative duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: Greeting and escorting patients. Schedule appointments. Patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting. Conducting hearing pass/fail screenings without interpretation. Non-diagnostic otoscopy. Cerumen management. Taking earmold impressions. Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair. Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers. Performing listening checks on hearing aids. Electroacoustic analysis of devices. Pairing hearing aids and accessories via Bluetooth technology. Programming previously stored settings into hearing aids. Activating remote controls. Document patient interactions in the medical records. Managing office supplies. Tracking loaner stock hearing aid inventory. Electronic ordering. Processing ROES transactions (e.g., certifying/issuing hearing aids, entering orders and repairs). Manage infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology clinic. Provide basic counseling to employees concerning test results and criteria for employee referral to the hearing conservation program. Provide biological checks and calibration of audiometric instrumentation. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10557F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Designated Drug-Testing Position: 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 (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. 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. 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: 1. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). 2. Experience and Education. (a) Experience. Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. -OR- (b) Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position. -OR- (c) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. An example of a combination of experience/education is three months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled and one year above high school with a minimum of 6 semester hours related to the health care industry. Note: Copies of your transcript(s) must be provided with your application package if using education to meet the Basic Requirements. Creditable Experience: To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with current Health Technician (Audiology)(HTA), Health Technician (Speech-Language Pathology)(HTSLP) or Health Technician (Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology)(HTASLP) practice. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment as a health technician in the health care field. 3. Certification: Certification by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) as a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (COHC) is required for the Health Technician (Audiology)(HTA), GS-8 assignment. Note: A copy of your Certification must be included with your application package. Grandfathering Provision: You 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met for the GS-08 grade level: Lead Health Technician (Audiology) GS-08: 1. Experience. Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. AND 2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of organization theory and leadership theory. (b) Ability to apply principles of leadership during interactions with staff. (c) Ability to identify problems in clinic operations, consider possible solutions and implement actions approved by supervisor. (d) Skill in communicating programmatic decisions to staff. 3. Assignment: Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The Lead HTA carries additional responsibilities that involve the oversight of specific services within the audiology clinic. The Lead HTA will assist the audiology supervisor and/or staff audiologist with technician oversight duties including making work assignments, monitoring workflow, providing input on performance, resolving daily workplace issues and maintaining efficient flow of patient care. They may provide training to staff, students and/or trainees; and may provide input into special advancements, promotions and disciplinary actions for HTA staff. Preferred Experience: Previous experience in audiology, including work with hearing aids. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation. For information regarding Employee Occupational Health Service, please review VA Handbook 5019.

Education

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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other Information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.