Provides professional speech, language, and/or audiology services to individuals with typical and complex swallowing, cognitive, and communicative disabilities such as cognitive communication disorders, dysphagia, language or articulation disorders, hearing loss or impairments, dysfluency, voice disorders or motor speech disorders.

In an institution, residential facility, or as a member of an interdisciplinary team, develops habilitation or rehabilitation programs for individuals with speech, language, voice, fluency, or hearing disabilities; and independently assesses and treats complex patient caseload, which includes planning evaluating, and treating patients. This class also mentors students, new staff and leads program development and process improvement projects.

Performs evaluations of patients with moderate and complex diagnoses;

Identifies and evaluates hearing, language, cognition, swallowing, communication, and speech abilities using various diagnostic tools;

Develops treatment programs in collaboration with physicians, speech pathologists, audiologists, psychologists, dietitians, respiratory therapists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, counselors and/or teachers;

Plans and provides for evaluation and treatment of assigned patient caseload;

Confers with family, clinical personnel, teachers, and other professional staff in the evaluation, treatment, and progression of client;

Directs and evaluates speech-language or audiology students;

Provides non-medical rehabilitation services to persons when appropriate, including: hearing aid selection, fitting and training procedures;

Uses appropriate treatment methods for receptive and expressive language disorders, cognitive communication disorders, swallowing disorders, aural habilitation/rehabilitation, articulation and voice disorders, stuttering and development of alternative means of communication (e.g., language board, sign language, etc.);

Uses equipment and other specialized apparatus appropriately for assessment and treatment;

Collaborates with supervisor, manager, or director to develop and lead program development, process improvement or quality improvement projects for the department;

Mentors students and new staff members;

Assists with research and program development.;

Performs other work as required.

Knowledge of: principles and techniques of speech pathology and language development; swallowing physiology, anatomy and physiology of the auditory and vocal mechanisms; phonetics, speech and voice science; specialized equipment and testing techniques used in evaluation and treatment of hearing and other communication disorders associated with hearing impairment; principles and techniques of aural habilitation/rehabilitation; educational and psychological needs of persons with communicative disorders; language development; principles of psychology and child development.

Ability to: establish and maintain effective relationships with individuals and groups; speak and write effectively; use special equipment for evaluation and remediation of cognitive, communication and swallowing disorders; work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Licensed by the State of Washington as a Speech Language Pathologist.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

A Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology or Communicative Disorders.

Documentation of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association approved equivalent to the Master’s degree consisting of approved curriculum and student practicum hours.


A Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.


Two years of experience as a speech pathologist, audiologist, or equivalent is preferred.

New class consolidates: (formerly 57460 Speech Pathologist 1; 32480 Audiologist; 6174 Audiologist; 6175 Speech Pathologist) Adopted May 11, 2007 Effective July 1, 2007
Revised definition, distinguishing characteristics, typical work, knowledge and skills, legal requirements, and qualifications; adopted June 22, 2023, effective July 1, 2023

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.