Health Technician (Audiology)

Description:

This Health Technician (Audiology) position serves the Audiology Section of the Operative Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston, TX. The primary responsibilities are for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education.

Requirements:

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: Health Technician (Audiology) must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Experience and Education:
  (1) 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
  (2) Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position.
  OR
  (3) 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.
  • Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
• Certification: None.

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 :

Health Technician (Audiology), GS-0640-7

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:

1. Ability to mentor and train new HTAs.
2. Ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performed by the audiologist, such as evoked potentials.
3. Ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology.

Preferred Experience: Experience as a health tech working in an outpatient setting for Audiology.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.