Summary This position is located within the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service of the Durham VA Health Care System. The duties and responsibilities of this position are carried out at the Garner VA Clinic and as needed throughout the Durham VA Health Care System, as determined by Supervisory Audiologists at the Garner and Durham sites. Responsibilities The Audiologist (Clinical Specialist-Cochlear Implant) provides leadership and directs oversight in the design, development, implementation, planning and management of the specialty program (program management of patients with bio-electric or cochlear implants) at the Garner VA Clinic. The duties and responsibilities of this position are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service. The Audiologist (Clinical Specialist-Cochlear Implant) has special clinical program responsibilities. Principal Duties and Responsibilities 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, provides medical opinions, completes tinnitus evaluations, special auditory and vestibular tests, when applicable. Demonstrates advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program. Adjusts techniques and treatments to accommodate program goals based on updated information about the current program, new concepts about the nature and treatment of patients with cochlear implants, and advanced device technology. Assists in the coordination of care, as needed, between the mapping-only sites with the host cochlear implant site (Durham VAMC), making adjustments as needed for the continued success of the program. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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. English Language Proficiency: Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the 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 (USDE). NOTE: Effective January 1, 2007, the CAA in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-13, Audiologist (Clinical Specialist-Cochlear Implant) Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist, with at least one year comparable to the next lower grade level, GS-12. AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs identified below: Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program at designated site of care. 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 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: 5+ years Cochlear Implant Experience 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-13. Physical Requirements: This clinical position includes a level of physicality normally associated with direct patient care duties performed by audiologists, such as potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, and pushing wheelchairs. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.