Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Full Job Description

Are you passionate about communicating with people face-to-face and collaborating with other professional teams to help each person achieve their career goals and potential?

Apply for this Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and help people in Pennsylvania who live with disabilities gain the skills and opportunities they need to live and work independently in their communities.

The ideal candidate will have an understanding of vocational rehabilitation services and applying that knowledge to help individuals with disabilities in obtaining gainful employment.

If you are interested in experiencing the satisfaction of public service while enjoying professional career growth, the Department of Labor and Industry wants you to apply!

Requirements

In this position, you will determine and coordinate the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to clients, as well as develop and maintain referral sources that ensure potential vocational rehabilitation customers are identified.

You will independently gather client information in face-to-face interviews, determine eligibility for services, and work with each person to develop an individualized plan for employment.

This includes providing counseling and guidance services to your clients in their move toward job placement, assisting in their job placement process, liaising with agency resources to coordinate planned services, and evaluating and documenting each person’s progress.

You will also be responsible for arranging and approving expenditures needed to support clients in accessing opportunities to achieve their goals.

If you want to make a lasting, positive impact in the lives of other people through specialized professional work providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities, this is the role for you!

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 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch.

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 in Norristown. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time.

Additional details may be provided during the interview.

• Salary: Most employees will start at the beginning level of the advertised salary. Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $64,783 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.
• Note: The worksite address is the Norristown District Office; however, employees may be covering Chester County for their caseload. They may have the potential to work in the Chester County Career Link.

Qualifications

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
• 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; or
• A master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation, mental health, special education, social work, human services, psychology, or a closely related field.
• 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.

Legal Requirements:

• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

How to Apply:

Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position.

Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).

If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.

Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce.

The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania.

The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law.

All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

Additional Information

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.