Vision Rehabilitation Specialist Senior (In-Training - Location Yakima)

Vision Rehabilitation Specialist Senior (In-Training)

This recruitment will be used to fill 1 vacancy in Yakima Washington. This position offers significant location flexibility. The selected candidate may reside up to three (3) hours from the assigned duty station - Yakima, WA. The position is primarily telework-based. However, in-person work at the duty station will be required. When in-person presence is needed, the employee will travel to the assigned office during work hours using a state vehicle. Depending on scheduling needs, occasional overnight travel may be required. In those instances, lodging will be arranged in accordance with state travel policies.

Standard business hours are Monday Friday, from 8 AM to 5:00 PM, and may occasionally require flexibility to meet the agency's needs. We promote a healthy work/life balance. Telework and a flexible schedule may be available upon supervisory approval. Extensive daily travel is required, as well as occasional overnights. The hiring team may make a hiring decision at any time. It is within your best interest to apply for this position at your earliest convenience.

DSB offers, upon approval, a relocation bonus and allotment for those staff relocating and needing to make the move to, or across the beautiful state of Washington to join our team. Washington State Department of Services for the Blind is "working together with individuals who are Blind, Deaf-Blind or Low Vision so they can flourish in their homes, communities, and workplaces." DSB's Vocational Rehabilitation program assists individuals with visual disabilities achieve gainful employment and economic vitality through integration into the nation's workforce, while assisting businesses with accessibility training, consultation, recruitment, and retention of qualified employees. Together, these services lead to the greater employment of qualified Blind, Deaf Blind and Low Vision individuals and more accessible and diverse businesses. DSB is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness - qualifying employer.

Applicants who do not have a current Orientation and Mobility certification at the time of hire, must agree to obtain certification 6 months after your start date to maintain employment.

Duties

Some of What You Will Enjoy Doing:

• Conducts a comprehensive, in-depth assessment of all participants who are referred for vocational rehabilitation services.
• Assesses and measures participant's adjustment to vision loss, readiness for training. If issue arises, works with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, or PS4, to address any issues or conflicts. Recommends and implements solutions, therapies, techniques, and tools to address low vision needs
• Analyze anticipated needs for aids and appliances and skills and techniques, and determine the most effective and cost-efficient way to provide training (internally and/or externally) through discussion with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC), internal team, and participant
• Facilitate the practice of "informed choice"
• Make formal recommendations in the electronic case management system
• Independently demonstrate skills in synthesizing assessment data and developing of comprehensive specialized services and training unique to the individual and program as it relates to the vocational goal
• Coordinate assessment results with team, and develop plans for overlapping areas of responsibilities
• Communicate to the participant the scope of training, competencies, and expected results of training
• Develop and communicate the objectives and completion measurements for all training
• Conduct training or arrange contract training to external vendor
• Monitor participant progress and assesses effectiveness of training, making any necessary adjustments to training plan
• Test and measure participant competencies
• Serves as a regional and statewide resource to participants, staff and community partners
• Communicate the Agency's scope and mission
• Educate community partners and employers to an array of adaptive tools and techniques that allow for optimal activities of daily living, travel, and access to communications for potential students and employees
• Provides consultation, presentations/trainings, and technical assistance statewide, and nationwide, to community resource and service providers for the application and use of adaptive tools and training
• Provides support and is responsible for the onboarding, training, and development for lower-level vision rehabilitation specialist staff towards competency among the range of vision rehabilitation specialists skill sets
• Responsible for ongoing training requests by lower-level staff and requests from Regional Area Managers (RAM) for employee retention training for lower-level staff
• Support statewide vision rehabilitation specialists process review and improvement efforts
• Ability to independently perform comprehensive low vision evaluations including calculating magnification needs, lighting needs in home and workplace, glare reduction tools. Recommends solutions and alternatives as needed
• Coordinates recommendations to vocational rehabilitation participants and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC)
• Manages Low Vision Lab, overseeing the lab supplies, inventory, and makes recommendations for budget with the oversight of the Regional Area Manager
• Prepare and maintain, which includes writing and editing, current documentation of training activities and related services in the automated case management system
• Communicate and coordinate participant Orientation & Mobility/Rehabilitation Teaching needs with the team
• In the team environment, provide input toward the development of quality service standards which affect policy, best practices and invoke procedural changes
• Evaluate new or upgraded aids, appliances, techniques and technologies
• Keep current with developments in the Orientation & Mobility/Rehabilitation Teaching profession
• Meet with peer Orientation & Mobility/Rehabilitation Teaching staff on a quarterly basis and share new techniques, ideas and professional developments
• Assumes responsibility for preparing and delivering one formal peer or team training annually
• Mentor and train new staff in the areas of adaptive skills assessment, low vision assessments, DSB procedures and documentation independently without supervision

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants who do not have a current Orientation and Mobility certification must agree to obtain certification 6 months after your start date to maintain employment. 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. Low Vision Evaluation and professional development of these skills are provided by DSB as the successful candidate progresses in their position. 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:

• 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; 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
• A current Orientation and Mobility certification, and a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in an accredited orientation and mobility program is required or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire

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:

• 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
• A current Orientation and Mobility certification, and a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in an accredited orientation and mobility program is required or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire
• 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

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:

• 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
• A current Orientation and Mobility certification,