Clarification from the agency

This is an "external" job announcement. Current permanent VA employees are encouraged to apply under the "internal" announcement to receive consideration based on their current employment status. Current employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, current Federal employees AND past, current and upcoming participants of the VA Health Professions Training (HPT) Graduates should apply to announcement CAZM-12798102-25-JET.

Videos

Major Duties as Assigned, but not limited to:

• Provides direct patient care and support services to a population of Veterans which is characterized by a very significant number of older males but includes both females and males of all adult ages. This includes the responsibility for assessment of each Veteran's needs and the delivery of services which are responsive to the concerns of individual Veterans to the fullest extent possible.
• Involves evaluating and assessing needs, capabilities and limitations; goal setting; and prescribing a treatment plan for individuals experiencing blindness/visual impairment caused by injury or disease. Works as part of a team coordinating care for blind and visually impaired Veterans. May serve as team coordinator for one or more assigned Veterans during the Veteran's program. As a team coordinator, the specialist is responsible for developing and coordinating the Veteran's Interdisciplinary Team Plan (IDTP) with input from the Veteran and all team members. The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist maintains close communication with all other members of the interdisciplinary Blind Rehabilitation Center staff, including optometry, psychology, social work, recreation and nursing, to ensure the needs and goals. of the Veteran are being met.
• The essential elements are independent evaluation, treatment, and management in a blind and vision rehabilitation program of instruction that teaches Veterans with visual impairment to utilize adaptive skills and techniques necessary to cope with the demands of everyday life. These needs constitute significant physical, emotional, and social disabilities.
• Studies visual and non-visual barriers and related processes that result in activity limitations, participation restrictions, loss of vocational and avocational opportunities, and psychological distress. In providing direct services, they use diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and instrumentation to identify and resolve or minimize these problems.
• Develops a treatment plan in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team to improve the quality of life for blind and visually impaired Veterans through the development of skills and capabilities needed for personal independence, emotional stability and the successful integration into community, family and environment.
• Responsible for using and maintaining discipline-specific technology necessary to assist in the Veteran's rehabilitation needs and processes such as electronic travel aids, computer assisted technology, speech output and input devices, large print devices and Braille devices. Determines the need for these devices based on assessments and on the type, nature and severity of the problem, and instructs the Veteran in the proper use of the device along with its abilities and limitations. Optical devices, prescribed by an eye care specialist, are incorporated into the Blind Rehabilitation Specialist's treatment plan.
• Also works with the Veteran's family members-and/or significant others to educate and counsel about the ramifications of visual impairment. Family members are taught how to recognize and change behaviors and behavior patterns that impede blind and vision rehabilitation progress, how to cope with associated psychological and social problems, as well to manage their own stress related to the. Veteran's visually impaired status.
• Maintains awareness of new technological developments in the field through research and education. Serves as a subject matter expert for other medical and allied health staff by providing counseling to healthcare providers and professionals on the nature of visual impairment and blind and vision rehabilitation. Serves as a mentor for clinical trainees within the specific disciplines.
• Enters into the electronic medical record evaluations and progress of visually impaired Veterans and recommendations for treatment that are accurate and complete and coordinates with other medical center personnel to assure that scheduling of appointments is accurate.
• Expected to obtain and maintain certification in the appropriate discipline of blind/vision rehabilitation. Devoted to meeting the needs of the Veteran who is blind or visually impaired. In order to do so at the highest level, maintains professional certification in one of the disciplines of low vision therapy, orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy and assisted technology.
• Performs other related duties as assigned including being crossed trained into other blind rehabilitation disciplines, providing transportation, and working outside of normal duty hours with permission of supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000/Blind Rehabilitation Specialist
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for
• employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g., of this part.)
• Education. The individual must have earned:

(a) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, closely related program in rehabilitation, special education for the visually impaired, family and consumer science education, or technology and industrial arts education OR,
(b) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included, or was supplemented by, at least one of the following: i. At least 30 semester hours of directly related, upper level undergraduate courses (e.g., at least 200-course level or higher, or as identified by the college or university).ii. One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 18 semester hours).iii. A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree. iv. Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in blind rehabilitation.

• Certification. Required at the GS-11 grade level and above.(1) Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), or another equivalent, closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation.

NOTE: The ACVREP administers four certification programs: Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Assistive Technology Instruction and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. They may then use the designation for the certification they hold (as listed in subparagraph (2)) below:(2) BRS who provide the following service must obtain certification granted by ACVREP as follows:(a) Orientation and mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS®).(b) Communication and daily living therapy - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT®).(c) Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT®).(d) Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS®).

Grade Determination GS-11 Full performance level: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet the following:
(1) Experience. completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade. OR,
(2) Education. Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree; or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly related field.

• Certification. Certification is required at this grade level and above. Staff BRS candidates must meet the certification requirements in listed above. Blind Rehabilitation Specialists at the GS-11 grade level must have at least one certification from ACVREP or a related, equivalent, professional certification.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation.(b) Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions.(c) Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable, measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes.(d) Skill in instructional methods and learning principles.(e) Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan.(f) Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within scope of practice, making adaptations and modifications as required.
Assignments. This is the full performance level for Blind Rehabilitation Specialists (BRSs) who are not VIST Coordinators. Assignments at this grade level include the following:
(a) Staff BRS. In addition to providing services to Veterans described at the GS-9 grade level, individuals at this level have duties that typically include the following: serving as a consultant to blind/low vision rehabilitation and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating Veterans in the specialty area; serving as a mentor to other therapists who are evaluating and treating Veterans in the content specialty or program area; serving as internship supervisor to students who are completing their supervised practice; and providing in-service and clinical training programs in the content specialty or program area.
(b) BRS (Sole Practice). Individuals in this assignment may serve as the only BRS at a medical center or an outpatient clinic and are responsible for independent decision making and independent care. Individuals in this assignment serve as a member of or as consultant to a specialty care team, and provide in-service and clinical training programs in the content specialty or program area.

Preferred Experience:

• Hold one certification from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals. (ACVREP)
• Blind Rehabilitation Experience
• Experience with assistive technology devices and techniques
• Driver's License
• Profession work experience with adults with disabilities

References: VA Handbook 5005/109 dated March 13, 2019 Part II, Appendix G41, Blind Rehabilitation Specialist Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.