Summary

This position is located in the Audiology Service at VA San Diego Healthcare System - which is comprised of four clinics throughout San Diego County including Chula Vista - Kearny Mesa - La Jolla and Oceanside. The duties and responsibilities are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service. The health technician supports the function of the clinical programs in Audiology.

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
• 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 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 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
• English Language Proficiency
• HTA - HTSLP or HTASLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f) Certification
• CAOHC certification as a COHC is required for this assignment
• Loss of Credential: An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required certification identified for the HTA - GS-08 position must be removed from the assignment - which may also result in termination of employment
• 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: To qualify for the HTA - GS-08 - you must meet all of the Basic Qualifications listed above and all of the following: 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to conduct employee hearing conservation education and training
• Knowledge of the hearing conservation program requirements to manage records and files
• Ability to perform pure tone air conduction testing
• Ability to provide audiologic technical support to the employee hearing conservation program
• Ability to identify a threshold shift and make appropriate referrals for further testing when indicated
• Preferred Experience: Experience working in Audiology clinic/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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• The health technician works under the direction of a licensed audiologist
• Assignments associated with this position include - but are not limited to orienting patients to devices - troubleshooting hearing aids - completing adjustments to hearing aid settings as outlined in the audiologist's plan of care - preparing patients for advanced diagnostic procedures such as evoked potentials and collaborating with team to develop training programs for patients and staff
• The health technician may perform pure tone air conduction threshold testing for established patients and employees - without interpretation
• The health technician may provide employee hearing conservation education and training - basic counselling of employees concerning test results and criteria for employee referral
• This health technician collaborates with the Hearing Conservation Program Manager and manages records associated with the hearing conservation program
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 8:00am - 4:00pm PST Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement