Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to US Citizens NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The primary purpose of the position is to manage and provide direct blind and vision rehabilitation training services to visually impaired Veterans and Service members. The incumbent identifies, assesses, trains, manages, and provides follow-up for Veterans using clinical resources of the facility. Incumbent is a member of the Blind Rehabilitation Service, the interdisciplinary Visual Impairment Services Team, and interacts with Rehabilitation Medicine, Audiology, Social Work, Prosthetic and Sensory Aids, and other Services and agencies of the VA and the community.

The Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS) functions independently in a number of settings including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, educational institutions, and home environments. The work environment may be in an office, clinical setting, classroom, private home, VA grounds, nursing home, community sites, or hospital.

The Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist provides direct patient care and support services to an adult population of patients which is characterized by a very significant number of older male patients, as well as young OEF /OIF Veterans who may have wound- and trauma-related vision loss.

The incumbent, in concert with Blind Rehabilitation Center, all VIST and other facility resources, is responsible for identifying beneficiaries who have the potential to benefit from blind and vision rehabilitation training. Incumbent consults with all VIST, eye clinics, blind and vision rehabilitation services, and community resources to locate and serve potential Veterans to offer direct blind and vision rehabilitation service in all four skill areas in the veteran's home, other residence or within the community, as the need arises.

The incumbent is responsible for blind and vision rehabilitation assessment, planning, training, and outcomes evaluation on each Veteran for whom service is provided. Incumbent uses objective and subjective assessment tools and methods requiring broadly based advanced knowledge in the five skill areas. An incumbent consults with local, regional, and national resources for information. Incumbent selects, interprets and adapts traditional strategies in order to meet Veteran needs. The incumbent develops an individualized rehabilitation-training plan for each Veteran with rehabilitation potential. Each plan includes Veteran and/or family goals, as well as achievable and measurable outcomes. In some cases, the plan will be communicated to the Blind Rehabilitation Center to expedite inpatient rehabilitation training, if that is a part of the Veteran's plan of blind rehabilitation care.

The incumbent prioritizes rehabilitation training activities so as to maximize Veterans served, consistent with quality care and safety. Rehabilitation training will be designed to shorten waiting time, minimize use of the inpatient treatment at a Blind Rehabilitation Center or obviate the need for inpatient services. Veterans on the inpatient (Blind Rehabilitation Center) waiting list or those who have post discharge needs are prioritized for outpatient treatment. The incumbent makes maximum use of outpatient clinical facilities of the institution, together with proper and judicious use of home-based services, as necessary.

To maximize Veteran's rehabilitation potential, the incumbent makes use of a wide variety of complex training aids and devices. Incumbent also uses complex assessment tools and trains Veterans on sophisticated prosthetics and sensory aids to accomplish the work, i.e., sophisticated computer interfaces for use with e-mail and Global positioning systems.

The incumbent functions as an independent provider of blind and vision rehabilitation services. When serving as a manager for direct care, the incumbent is responsible for ensuring documents of assessment, rehabilitation training progress, consults, referrals and recommendations are properly entered in the Veteran's chart.

The incumbent provides effective patient counseling in the adjustment to blindness as an integral component of the work. The incumbent relies upon his/her extensive knowledge of the psychosocial issues associated with visual impairment to assist the Veteran in adjustment to visual impairment and the blind and vision rehabilitation process. The patient is referred to an appropriate professional for more extensive counseling, as required.

Other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Available on an Ad-Hoc Basis Only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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, or a closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, technology, and industrial arts education; OR
  • (b) 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, technology, and industrial arts education; OR
  • (c) A bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) and (b) above) and obtained 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. This education must have included supervised practice; AND
  • (d) Completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the BRS, GS-9 grade level; OR
  • (e) Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a doctoral degree in blind rehabilitation or a directly related field.
• Certification:
  • (1) Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full, and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment.
  • (2) An applicant who has, or ever had his/her certification suspended, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3, Section B, Paragraph 16 of this part. An applicant who has or has ever had a certification revoked or terminated for cause, or voluntarily relinquished such certification after being notified in writing by the State of potential revocation or termination for cause, is ineligible for employment and must be removed from the GS-0601 series. This applies even if the applicant possesses one or more valid certifications or registration (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)).

NOTE: The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP) administers four certification programs: Low Vision Therapy, Orientation, and Mobility, Certified Assistive Technology Instructions Specialist] and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. They may then use the designation for the certification they hold as listed in subparagraph below:

• BROS who provide the following services must obtain and maintain two certifications at the GS-12 grade level 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 Specialist CATIS.

Creditable Experience: To be creditable, the experience must demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current blind and vision rehabilitation practice as outlined in the current scope and standards of practice, for blind and vision rehabilitation. One or more of the following may have evidenced this:
(1) The equivalent of one year of active practice. Active practice means paid/non-paid employment (VA or Non-VA) as a BRS or BROS.
(2) Academic course work leading to an advanced degree in blind or vision rehabilitation, or related therapeutic intervention program.

Quality of Experience: The work to be credited is at a level comparable to BROS experience at the same or next lower grade level than the grade level being considered for placement.

Part-Time Experience: Part-time experience as a professional BROS is credited according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, a BROS would receive one week of full-time credit for each two weeks of half-time work.

Content Specialty: Specialized content areas of blind and vision rehabilitation include, but are not limited to: orientation and mobility, low vision therapy, vision rehabilitation therapy, manual skills, technology, and computer access for people who are visually impaired, and case-management for disability resulting from blindness.

Grade Determinations:

GS-12 Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level is required.

Certification: Candidates must meet the certification requirements as stated in the basic requirements above. BROS at the GS-12 grade level must achieve two ACVREP certifications to demonstrate full mastery in two areas of blind rehabilitation.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to meeting the KSAs at the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Skill to independently develop, plan, and administer complex treatment programs.
(b) Ability to act as a subject matter expert in the blind/vision rehabilitation field, and as consultant, supervisor, and/or mentor in evaluating and treating patients in specialty or program areas.
(c) Ability to coordinate, motivate, and effectively manage staff and/or committee members to include organizing work, setting priorities, and delegating tasks and responsibilities.
(d) Ability to disseminate appropriate information through various media as a consultant or mentor.
(e) Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with patients, employees, other team leaders, managers, and other stakeholders.
(f) Ability to identify team group dynamics, objectively observe, and modify behaviors.
(g) Ability to apply decision-making principles to adjust programs on a day-to-day basis, to develop short-term and long-range goals, and to plan for future utilization of resources.

Preferred Experience: An applicant with 3-5 years of clinical experience in providing rehabilitation to severely visually impaired veterans with two certifications in blind rehabilitation disciplines with one ideally in Orientation and Mobility and the other in Low Vision Therapy, Vision Rehabilitation Therapy or Computer Access Training is preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-12 which is the actual grade an applicant may be selected for.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.