Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist)

Department of Veterans Affairs

Salem, Virginia Full-time $40,736 – $59,031 Closes Sep 30, 2026

Summary

Come Join Our team! Salem VA Medical Center Audiology is looking for a Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist). Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology education or knowledge and skills represented by audiology licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties.

Duties

  • This is an open continuous announcement, candidates will be reviewed and sent to the hiring manager (certificate list issued) to the manager on an as needed basis.
  • Total Rewards of an Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: 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).
  • Provide basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologist's treatment plan.
  • Assists patients through triaging phone calls and audiology requests with regards to priority and urgency, following the audiologist's plan of care.
  • Fabricating earmold impressions with proper (non-diagnostic) otoscopy.
  • Order earmolds based on plan of care through prosthetics or DLC and fitting and modifying earmolds Work Schedule: 7:45am – 4:30pm, Monday – Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
  • Functional Statement #: 000000 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 Occupational Health evaluation.
  • 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

***A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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

Prepare the documents below before applying. Always confirm the exact requirements on the official announcement, since they vary by position:

  • Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
  • 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.
  • Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Resume/CV Other (2) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Proof of Marriage Status Resume SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript.

About this role

The Health Technician (Hearing Instrument Specialist) position with the Department of Veterans Affairs is based in Salem, Virginia. Come Join Our team!. The role pays $40,736 to $59,031 per year.

Day to day, the work involves providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers consistent with the audiologist’s treatment plan. 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 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 (Hearing Instrument Specialist) position with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Salem, Virginia, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.

How competitive it is

The posted pay of $40,736 to $59,031 per year places this in a competitive but attainable range for qualified applicants. Based in Salem, Virginia, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on September 30, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.

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.

Job Details

Department Department of Veterans Affairs
Job Type Full-time
Location Salem, Virginia
Salary $40,736 – $59,031
Pay Period Per Year
Closing Date Sep 30, 2026
Posted Jun 3, 2026
Source ID CBTA-12976988-26-KRE
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