POSITION SUMMARY

Assist Houston ISD in providing exceptional educational audiological services to the general and special education students by ensuring students’ access to auditory information.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

• Serve as a representative of Houston ISD in all interactions with other members of the educational community and with the public.
• Facilitate the required documentation for referrals and reevaluations of the Region 4 Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD) students and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team regarding students’ listening abilities within the general and/or special education setting.
• Provide and/or coordinate diagnostic audiological services, hearing aid evaluations / fittings, and make ear mold impressions.
• Determine which assistive listening devices fits student needs, follow-up audiological intervention plans, and present recommendations to families and school personnel.
• Provide fitting, maintenance, and recommendations for purchase of specialized classroom listening equipment for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
• Provide direct service and technical assistance concerning the appropriateness of personal and classroom amplification and acoustical environments for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
• Periodically conduct ongoing assessment and parent education to children, birth to age three and their families.
• Coordinate and collaborate with district and campus staff to meet the audiological needs of students who are deaf and hard of hearing that are not RDSPD, e.g. Section 504.
• Coordinate and collaborate with district and campus staff in member districts of the Region 4 Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD) to meet the audiological needs of students who are deaf and hard of hearing and receiving services as part of the Region 4 RDSPD.
• Plan and conduct professional learning (e.g. face-to-face, webinar, etc.) for district and campus staff.
• Maintain student confidentiality in all contexts and secure all student documents and records.
• Comply with all Region 4 RDSPD, campus, and district policies.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.
• Provide consultation regarding the selection, purchase, installation, maintenance, calibration checking and utilization of audiologic equipment.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES CONTINUED

• Provide consultation and in-service to parents, students, and school personnel regarding hearing health care including topics such as room acoustics and hearing conservation.
• Continued training and participation in professional development in order to update knowledge and to implement interventions effectively to meet the changing needs of students.
• Continue to enhance specific skills related to proficient use of technology systems, computers and electronic communication devices and the ability to develop, implement, modify and assess student academic progress.
• Provide direct intervention services in audiologic rehabilitation in collaboration with the speech-language pathologist and classroom teacher as recommended.
• Train school staff on how to use FM systems, troubleshooting, advocate for students with hearing loss, and understanding the effects of hearing loss on academics.
• Identify students who require professional testing in order to be admitted into deaf/hard of hearing services.
• Assist the Multidisciplinary team with audiologicals and otologicals to help determine the optimal placement for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
• Participate as a member of the multidisciplinary professional team member for students of all ages. 
• Collaborate and consult with community audiologists and physicians. 
• Provide reference letters to Be An Angel Foundation. 
• Travel weekly to RDSPD schools to monitor and troubleshoot hearing and assistive listening devices. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of and experience with pediatric hearing aid fittings, FM systems, and cochlear implant devices. 
• Complete audiological reports for every student given an audiological evaluation. 
• Travel weekly to district campuses to provide support with classroom acoustics. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of and experience with psychoacoustic testing and results interpretation. 
• Provide audiological support for charter schools and private schools.
• Submit monies received in audiology for made earmolds. 
• Perform otoscopy, tympanometry, otoacoustic measurements, pure tone testing, speech reception thresholds, and word recognition testing. 
• Demonstrate ability to navigate daily tasks independently with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Must be proficient in making and ordering the appropriate earmold impressions. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of programming, feedback management, and adjustments to hearing aids. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of Real Ear Measurements (REM) for target verification. 
• Exhibit an extensive knowledge of multiple hearing aid and cochlear manufacturers. 
• Must be able to create or fill out necessary forms, i.e. SERS request, PC2 and inventory list. 
• Communicate effectively with parents and advocates. 
• Perform functional listening evaluations.
• Perform Testing of Auditory Processing Skills. 
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

*Audiology license from the Texas State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology required 
*American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification 
*Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-A) or American Board of Audiology Certification (ABA) required
*American Academy of Audiology (AAA) fellow (optional) 
*Specialization in pediatric diagnostics / amplification and educational audiology preferred 
*Basic understanding of ASL/Signing Exact English preferred 
*Demonstrate knowledge of pediatric audiologic testing battery and methods of testing, i.e., visual reinforcement, play audiometry, soundfield testing as well as tympanometry, electrophysiological, and emittance testing 
*Possess experience counseling families of children with hearing loss. Demonstrate knowledge of and experience with collaboration, consulting, and teaming with diverse groups of people. Demonstrate effective communication and presentation skills, both verbal and written. 

Education

Ph.D. in Audiology or Doctor of Audiology (Au,D.) degree from an accredited university required

Experience

Three (3) years of experience (post CFY) as an audiologist required

Experience in pediatric and school settings preferred

Other Requirements

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
No supervisory or direct people management responsibilities. May provide occasional work guidance, technical advice and training to staff.

WORK COMPLEXITY/INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT
Work is substantially complex, varied and regularly requires the selection and application of technical and detailed guidelines. Independent judgment is required to identify, select, and apply the most appropriate methods as well as interpret precedent. Position regularly makes recommendations to management on areas of significance to the department. Supervision received typically consists of providing direction on the more complex projects and new job duties and priorities.

BUDGET AUTHORITY
No budget development activity is required.

PROBLEM SOLVING 
Decisions are made on both routine and non-routine matters with some latitude, but are still subject to approval. Job is occasionally expected to recommend new solutions to problems and improve existing methods or generate new ideas.

IMPACT OF DECISIONS 
Decisions have minor, small and possibly incremental impact on the department or facility. Errors are usually discovered in succeeding operations where most of the work is verified or checked and is normally confined to a single department or phase of the organizational activities resulting in brief inconvenience.

COMMUNICATION/INTERACTIONS
Information sharing - gives and receives information such as options, technical direction, instructions and reporting results. Interactions are mostly with customers, own supervisor and coworkers in own and other departments.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Takes routine or required customer actions to meet customer needs. Responds promptly and accurately to customer complaints, inquiries and requests for information and coordinates appropriate follow-up. May handle escalated issues passed on from coworkers or subordinates.

WORKING/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment which does not subject the employee to any hazardous or unpleasant elements.
Ability to carry and/or lift up to 15 to 44 pounds.