USA Staffing

Position Title: Health Technician (HIS)
Agency: Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number: CBTF-12135467-23-SP-T Echo Opens in new window
Open Period: Tuesday, September 19, 2023 to Monday, March 18, 2024

For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.

1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?

A. No, I do not claim Veterans' Preference

B. 0-point Sole Survivorship Preference (SSP)

C. 5-point preference based on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (TP)

D. 10-point preference for non-compensable disability or Purple Heart (XP)

E. 10-point preference based on a compensable service connected disability of at least 10% but less than 30% (CP)

F. 10 point preference based on widow/widower or parent of a deceased veteran, or spouse or parent of a disabled veteran (XP)

G. 10-point preference based on a compensable service connected disability of 30% or more (CPS)

1. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.

2. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.

A. Yes, I am considered a political appointee as described under 5 U.S.C. sections 5312 through 5316.

B. Yes, I am considered a Non-career Senior Executive Service (SES), Limited Term SES, Limited Emergency SES Executive Branch employee.

C. Yes, I am considered a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or appointee who served in a political capacity under agency-specific authority in the Executive Branch.

D. Yes, I am considered a political appointee in the Executive Branch (as described in a., b. or c above) in a covered position in an agency having an interchange agreement with OPM, which allows movement from the agency's system to the competitive civil service.

E. None of the above. I am not considered a current or recent (last 5 years) political appointee as described above in items a, b, c, or d.

Resume Reminder- Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:

Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held

Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

Accuracy of Application Reminder:
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).

3. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment. Will you comply with this requirement?

A. Yes

B. No

4. Are you willing to undergo a pre-employment physical?

A. Yes

B. No

5. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English?

A. Yes

B. No

TRANSCRIPT REMINDER - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.

Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Your application package will be reviewed to verify answers.
Please ensure your resume clearly reflects specific details of experience, lists complete dates of employment, and indicates if the employment was part time (list hours per week) or Full time to properly credit your experience.

Resume/CV required Resume: Your resume should include the following information for each job that you list: Job title; Complete Workplace Addresses; Duties (be as detailed as possible); Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008); Full-time, part-time status (include hours worked per week).

Example:
Chyco Hearing Center, 1234 Anywhere USA
Hearing Technician 3/10/2020-5/20/2022 Full time

Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair;
Performing visual and auditory checks of hearing aids and hearing assistive technology-including all hearing aid accessories as well as alerting devices (troubleshoots performance);
Fabricating earmold impressions with proper (non-diagnostic) otoscopy;
Ordering earmolds based on plan of care through prosthetics or DLC and fitting and modifying earmolds, if necessary;
Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologist's treatment plan, including, but not limited to, realistic expectations, communication strategies, and/or aural rehabilitation;
Assisting in set up and delivery of face-to-face and telehealth visits by preparing the equipment for patient evaluation and other audiology procedures including, but not limited to daily biologic listening calibration of audiometric equipment and calibration of real-ear equipment;
Assisting patients with hearing aid connectivity including, but not limited to, downloading applications (or apps), pairing devices in the app, Bluetooth pairing, and pairing hearing aid accessories.

Helpful training links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XeSxzezvY8 Applying to federal jobs and how it works
What to include on a FEDERAL resume - YouTube Federal resume training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY5Z_pfFUK4 Looking for jobs and applying to Fed jobs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-fYgeDJpYI The Federal Employment Process: Resources and Frequently Asked

The following are requirements for appointment or placement as a Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist) (HIS) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). These requirements apply to all VHA Health Technician (HIS) in the General Schedule (GS)-0640 series. As members of the audiology service and hearing health care team, the Health Technician (HIS) possesses knowledge of basic ear anatomy and a broad knowledge of hearing aids and hearing assistive technology. The Health Technician (HIS) possesses the skills necessary to assist patients with concerns related to their hearing aids and/or hearing assistive technology, consistent with the treatment plan of the audiologist. This work may
include the provision of a wide array of clinical rehabilitation services to support Veterans with disabilities reintegrate into community, employment and independent living.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

1. Education and/or Experience:

Experience. Completion of the Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program for Hearing Aid Specialists;

OR

Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school that includes coursework related to the field: hearing science,
human anatomy and physiology, hearing instrument science, gerontology, psychology or other general healthcare areas.

NOTE: There is no combination of education and experience which can be substituted for the basic requirements.

Do you meet the qualification as describe above?

A. Yes

B. No

2. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: Healthcare Engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U. S. C. 7403(f). Are you proficient in spoken and written English?

A. Yes

B. No

3. Licensure or Registration.
Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license or registration to practice as a HIS in a state, territory, commonwealth or
the District of Columbia.

Loss of Licensure or Registration. A Health Technician (HIS) who fails to maintain the required licensure or registration must be removed from the
occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

Do you meet the requirements mentioned above?

A. Yes

B. No

4. Board Certification.
Individuals must hold active board certification from the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (NBC-HIS).

Exception for Non-Board Certified Health Technician (HIS).

Non-board certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for appointment, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate Health Technician (HIS) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B).
Non-board certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a licensed audiologist.
Non-board certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until board certification is obtained.
Temporary appointments of non-board certified Health Technician (HIS) may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.

Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, Health Technician (HIS) must actively pursue meeting requirements for board certification starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the Health Technician (HIS) with the written requirements for board certification, including the time (i.e., two years) by which the board certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming board certified by the deadline.
Failure to obtain board certification during the two-year period may result in termination of employment.

Loss of Certification. A Health Technician (HIS) who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

Do you understand and meet the requirements as described above?

A. Yes I am Board Certified and I have provided specific board details in my application

B. I am not Board certified but am willing to take a temporary (not to exceed 2 years appointment) at the GS-5 until I have the required certification and understand In all cases, Health Technician (HIS) must actively pursue meeting requirements for board certification starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the Health Technician (HIS) with the written requirements for board certification, including the time (i.e., two years) by which the board certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming board certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain board certification during the two-year period may result in termination of employment.

C. I am not board certified and am not willing to accept a temporary position to gain certification at the GS-5 with risk of termination for failing to meet the time requirement for boarding.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS
Journey Level. The full performance level for this qualification standard is the GS-06 grade level.
Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with current Health
Technician (HIS) practice. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment as Health Technician (HIS) in the health care field.
Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to Health Technician (HIS) experience at the next lower grade level of the position
being filled.
Part-time Experience: Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek. For example, an individual employed 20
hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time work week of credit for each two weeks of service.

Grade Determinations. The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

5. GS-6 Grade Requirements: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy.
Knowledge of hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software.
Skill in documenting patient procedures and patient devices.
Skill in providing patient education for hearing aid use, to include assisting patient with hearing aid insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection).
Ability to provide patient education and training regarding hearing loss and communication strategies for various listening situations.
Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aids, hearing assistive technology and patient care that is consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist.
Ability to prepare patient, equipment, and/or environment for audiology procedures.
Ability to provide triage of patient telephone calls or audiology requests.

Do you possess the experience and KSAs described in the paragraph above?

A. Yes

B. No

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