Audiologist​/Authorized

Summary

This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 11/17/2025. Additional applications will be referred as needed. This position is located in the Audiology Service at the Lubbock Community Based Outpatient Clinic as part of the Amarillo VA Health Care System. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical and patient care areas involved with the service.

Incumbent is a staff audiologist.

• United States Citizenship:
  Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education
• (1) Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
• The CAA is the only accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit entry-level audiology programs
• HR office staff and management officials may verify the program accredited from CAA .asha.org
• OR (2) Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the 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
• (1) Non-licensed audiologists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate audiologist at the GS-11 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that these audiologists provide care only under the supervision of fully licensed audiologists
• Individuals appointed as graduate audiologists may not be promoted to the GS-12 level without being fully licensed
• Failure to Obtain Licensure
• In all cases - the graduate audiologists must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment
• HR office staff will provide unlicensed audiologists with written requirements to obtain licensure - the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline
• Written notices must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date
• Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment
• Loss of Credential
• In collaboration with HR office staff - management officials must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation who fail to maintain the required licensure - which may also result in separation from employment
• Grandfathering Provision
• All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and licensure
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but previously met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: (1) Audiologists may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• (2) Audiologists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose…