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Summary This position is located within the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at Nebraska Western Iowa VAHCS. Duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Speech Pathology service. The Speech Pathologist (Clinical Specialist) plans, conducts, and coordinates all aspects of diagnostic assessments and evaluations and therapeutic and rehabilitative services for speech, language, voice, fluency, cognitive, and swallowing disorders. Responsibilities Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: A Speech Pathologist (Clinical Specialist) provides leadership and directs oversight in the design, development, implementation, planning and management of the specialty program. Serves as a coach or facilitator for an interdisciplinary team and is responsible for training all support staff and trainees as it relates to the specialty program. The Speech Pathologist (Clinical Program Specialist) is responsible for providing comprehensive clinical services; ensures work assignments of the other members of a clinical team are carried out by performing a range of administrative duties. The Speech Pathologist (Clinical Program Specialist) exercises a limited range of managerial authority that is routine or technical in nature and obtains assistance from supervisors on problems that may arise. Incumbent oversees the professional practice of peers. Leads a diverse clinical team on work methods, practices, and procedures: The Lead Speech Pathologist will lead three or more speech pathologists to accomplish the work through leadership, team building skills, group facilitation, coaching and integration of work products and processes; articulates and communicates assignments, projects, problems to be solved, actionable events, and objectives, as well as advise on work methods, practices, and procedures. Serves as facilitator and/or negotiator in coordinating initiatives and consensus building activities among clinical team members with wide divergent backgrounds, interest, and points of view. Coordinates assignments, special projects, and objectives to lead work: Provides comprehensive clinical services and oversee the day-to-day core clinic operations. Attends interdisciplinary team meetings; participates with other health care practitioners to address the global needs of the patient, advises on diagnosis and treatment. Monitors work, evaluates programs, and adjusts to accomplish the workload: Collects, analyzes, and incorporates data to monitor and evaluate the efficiency, utilization, quality, and effectiveness of clinic services. Plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function. Ensures work assignments of the clinical team are completed and adjusts the workload in accordance with established priorities. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. 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 dentification 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). Qualifications 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. Education and Experience. A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and one year of creditable experience (see paragraph 2.g.). or A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Licensure. Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia. English Language Proficiency. SLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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: Speech-Language Pathologist (Clinical Specialist), GS-13. (1) Experience/Education. In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-12 level, completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level and completion of one or more of the following: (a) Board certification such as BRS-S Disorders or BC-ANCDS; or (b) Completion of a residency or fellowship post-graduate degree; or (c) College credits (three or more courses) above the graduate degree in the areas relevant to the advance practice. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary speech pathology practice for contemporary and evidence-based practice in differential diagnosis and treatment. (b) Skill in interpreting advanced specialized clinical management programs in focused areas of contemporary speech-language pathology practice. (c) Ability to provide consultation and continuing education in a specific SLP disorder area. (3) Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. SLP clinical specialists apply advanced knowledge of scientific principles and contemporary and evidence-based clinical practice in a specific disorder area. SLPs in this assignment use professional judgment to diagnose patients with the most complex disorders not typically seen in routine clinical practice; develop and implement evidence-based and individualized clinical management programs; and render professional opinions. These patients may present with multiple physical, sensory, motor, cognitive or other complicated communication or swallowing disorders that require advanced clinical decision-making skills using complex data. On a regional or national level, SLP clinical specialists serve as subject matter experts for a specific clinical area, adding knowledge to the profession by providing expert consultation, continuing education and mentoring to colleagues, clinical fellows and students. (4) Differentiating Full Performance Level from Clinical Specialist Level. This is done based on the differences between independent practice, which is required for all SLPs at the full performance level and a clinical specialist. An SLP practicing at the independent level has a generalized knowledge of practice, whereas the SLP clinical specialist has specialized knowledge of practice typically related to a particular diagnosis or patient population. The SLP clinical specialist can be further differentiated from the independent SLP by their ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, provide consultation and guidance to colleagues, role model effective speech- language pathology practice skills and teach or mentor less experienced SLPs. An SLP with advanced knowledge, clinical skills and personal qualifications that meet the standard for the SLP clinical specialist must be assigned to a position that requires use of the practice skills to be considered for the SLP grade. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy at GS-13. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. 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/. Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.