Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

THE POSITION

Are you passionate about helping people to identify and achieve their professional dreams? If you have an understanding of vocational rehabilitation services and applying that knowledge to assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining gainful employment, consider this Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor role. As part of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, you will play a crucial part in helping Pennsylvania residents with disabilities to gain the skills necessary for living and working independently in their communities. If you are interested in experiencing the satisfaction of public service while enjoying professional career growth, the Department of Labor and Industry encourages you to join our team!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

In this Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position, your focus will be to develop and maintain referral sources that ensure potential vocational rehabilitation customers are identified, as well as determine and coordinate the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to customers for your assigned type of caseload and coverage area. You will also help determine and create the appropriate vocational goals for each individual, provide counseling and guidance services, and assist in job placement for each customer. Work will rely on combining your knowledge of casework principles and methods relating to vocational rehabilitation counseling; physical, mental, and sensory disabilities, their functional limitations, and their vocational implications; and employment practices and the skills, abilities, and physical demands of the more common occupations to enhance the opportunity for customer success.

Your responsibilities will involve conducting comprehensive face-to-face interviews with each applicant to gather relevant information; explaining our eligibility requirements, scope of services, and processes; consulting with related professionals and service providers; and determining each customer's eligibility for services. Close collaboration and consultation with customers, and appropriate interested parties, is critical for effectively determining appropriate vocational goals and developing individualized vocational plans to achieve them. This also includes liaising with agency resources to coordinate planned services and job placements, arranging and approving standard expenditures, and evaluating and documenting customer progress.

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are typically 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday. Work hours are negotiable - 7.5 hour workday and lunch period is 30 minutes or 60 minutes depending on work hours. The selected candidate may be eligible for Alternate Work Schedules.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, upon successful completion of the training period. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $59,345 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Successful completion of the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern program or the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Trainee program (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• A master's degree in vocational rehabilitation, mental health, special education, social work, human services, psychology, or a closely related field; or
• Possession of an active Certified Rehabilitation Counselor certificate issued by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification; or
• Proof of approval to sit for the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Certified Rehabilitation Counselor certification examination, provided by the CRCC, and completion of a master's degree.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within three months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements:

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.