Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Olympia, United States - State of Washington

Description

Contact Information:
Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or

For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Jowi Deguzman at or email


NOTE:

This recruitment will be used to fill two (2) vacancies in two (2) different locations: Yakima County and Clark County.

Additionally, the ability to travel is required for this role.


Who we are:

The goal of the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) is to assist in the stable employment and increased independence of Blind, Deaf Blind and Low Vision customers.

DSB provides training, counseling, and support to help Washington residents of all ages, who have a visual disability to pursue employment, education, and independent living.

Our goal is "Inclusion, Independence, and Economic Vitality for People with Visual Disabilities."


What you will be doing:

As a Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Senior, your role will involve analyzing and evaluating the adaptive skills of individuals with Blindness, Deaf-Blindness, and Low Vision to enhance their daily living activities and employment readiness.

You will serve as a subject matter expert in Rehabilitation Teaching, Orientation & Mobility, employing cutting-edge technologies and training methods to support both current and future participants and employers.

Your responsibilities will include recommending and contributing to curriculum development, implementing training methodologies, and ensuring compliance with Section 508 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Additionally, you will play a pivotal role in recruiting, assessing, and managing vendors offering specialized adaptive rehabilitation training.

This position will also require you to establish program standards for Low Vision Evaluations, oversee budgets for Low Vision Labs and Adaptive Tools, and provide adaptive education to various stakeholders, including businesses, participants, community partners, and employers.

Some of what you'll enjoy doing includes:

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of participants' vocational rehabilitation needs, including disability, family support, education/work history, and adaptive skills.
• Collaborate with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) to address issues and recommend solutions, therapies, and tools for low vision needs.
• Provide information and referrals to community resources and facilitate informed choice in service selection.
• Develop individualized training plans, coordinate assessment results with the team, and communicate training objectives and expectations to participants.
• Arrange training, monitor progress, and adjust plans as needed, testing and measuring participant competencies.
• Serve as a regional and statewide resource, educating community partners and employers on adaptive tools and techniques.
• Offer consultation, presentations, and technical assistance to community service providers for the application and use of adaptive tools and training.
• Lead onboarding, training, and development of lower-level vision rehabilitation staff, ensuring competency across skill sets.
• Manage ongoing training requests and employee retention training, coordinating with Regional Area Managers.
• Lead statewide process review and improvement efforts, while independently performing comprehensive low vision evaluations and coordinating recommendations to vocational rehabilitation participants and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors.
• Other duties as assigned.

This position may be filled at the Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Entry, Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Journey, or Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Senior level, depending on qualifications.

Advancement to the next level will be based upon the successful completion of an established In-Training Plan.

What is an in-training plan? The in-training is intended to provide an opportunity for an individual to gain the required experience on the job as part of a formal "in-training" plan.

Upon successful completion of an in-training program, the incumbent will move up to the next job classification that is listed on the in-training plan if applicable.

Required Qualifications for Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Entry

To qualify for this specific Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Entry level position, a candidate must possess the following:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, or closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, or adaptive technology;

*NOTE: Two (2) years of experience in social services or providing services to individuals who are blind, low vision or deaf blind will substitute for two (2) years of the required education.

• For those positions performing Orientation and Mobility functions, current certification and a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in an accredited orientation and mobility program is required.

Required Qualifications for Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Journey

To qualify for this specific Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Journey level position, a candidate must possess one (1) of the following qualification combination options:

[OPTION 1]

• A Master's Degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, or closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, or adaptive technology.

[OPTION 2]

• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, or a closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, or adaptive technology; AND
• Two (2) years of paid professional experience providing services that teach adaptive skill of blindness to the blind, low vision, or deaf blind individuals.
• For those positions performing Orientation and Mobility functions, current certification and a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in an accredited orientation and mobility program is required.

Required Qualifications for Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Senior

To qualify for this specific Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Senior level position, a candidate must possess one (1) of the following qualification combination options:

[OPTION 1]

• A Master's Degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, or a closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, or adaptive technology.
• For those positions performing Orientation and Mobility functions, current certification and a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in an accredited orientation and mobility program is required.

[OPTION 2]

• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, or a closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, or adaptive technology; AND
• Three (3) years of paid professional experience providing services that teach adaptive skills of blindness to the blind, low vision, or deaf blind individuals, including one year of supervisory or lead experience.
• For those positions performing Orientation and Mobility functions, current certification and a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in an accredited orientation and mobility program is required.

The salary ranges for each level of the position is as follows:

• Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Entry: ($3,619 - $4,842 per month)
• Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Journey: ($4,174 - $5,615 per month)
• Vision Rehabilitation Specialist - Senior: ($4,968 - $6,676 per month)

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Effective in conducting superior work with a high degree of independence and autonomy.
• Demonstrates superior documentation and qualify of work.

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest, describing how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting;
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education; and
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

NOTE:
By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not substitute for completing the "duties summary" section of the application. Please do not refer to resume for detail, or your application may be disqualified.


Conditions of employment:

Background Check Notice:

Prior to any new appointment into the Department of Services for the Blind, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted.

Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Union Inclusion:
This position is included in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).


Opportunity for All:

The Department of Services for the Blind celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.