Health Technician (Audiology and Speech Language Pathology)
Department of Veterans Affairs
Summary
The incumbent works in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Clinic at the Columbia VA Health Care System and serves under the Supervisory Speech Pathologist or Audiologist with direction from the licensed professional staff (Audiologist or Speech Language Pathologist).
Duties
- Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties. Direct patient care duties may include, but not limited to the following:
- Greeting and escorting patients
- Provide patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting
- Non-diagnostic otoscopy; Cerumen management
- Taking earmold impressions
- Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair; cochlear implant/BAHA troubleshooting and repair
- Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers
- Performing listening checks on hearing aids
- Electroacoustic analysis of devices; Pairing hearing aids and accessories via Bluetooth technology
- Programming previously stored settings into hearing aids; and activating remote controls
- Maintaining comprehensive supply and equipment tracking systems to include monitoring stock of
- RME and consumable items. Ensuring proper inventory levels to complete the daily tasks. Prioritizing the acquisition of all supplies and equipment regarding date of expiration and may maintain a loaner hearing aid inventory. The Health
- Technician assists patients through triaging phone calls and audiology requests with regards to priority and urgency, following the audiologist's plan of care. Work
- Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm, M-F Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
- Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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) 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) Telework: Not Available
- Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional
- Statement #: 61480F/61506F Permanent Change of
- Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
- 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.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
- Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- 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).
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
- As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
- In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the
- Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the
- Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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/.
Required Documents
- To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Resume Special Note for
- Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume
- This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
- Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
- The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
- Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former
- Federal employees), etc. DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) Resume Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript
About this role
The Health Technician (Audiology and Speech Language Pathology) position and is based in Columbia, South Carolina. The incumbent works in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Clinic at the Columbia VA Health Care System and serves under the Supervisory Speech Pathologist or Audiologist with direction from the licensed professional staff (Audiologist or Speech Language Pathologist).
Day to day, the work involves total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.
Who should apply
This role calls for United States citizenship, an active, unrestricted license or required registration, and a valid driver's license. Be prepared for a pre-employment drug screening and physical or medical requirements as part of the hiring process. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Health Technician (Audiology and Speech Language Pathology) position in Columbia, South Carolina, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.
How competitive it is
Competitiveness for this Health Technician (Audiology and Speech Language Pathology) role depends mainly on how closely applicants match the stated qualifications. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings.
This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.