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The Blind Rehabilitation 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 in the Orientation and Mobility Department. Review of demographic data discloses that the average age of a Central Blind Rehabilitation Center patient is 67.4 years with a distribution of 96% male and 4% female. Within these broad categorizations, the employee must tailor patient care and support services to meet the needs of the individual patient. This includes the responsibility for assessment of each patient's needs and the delivery of services which are responsive to the concerns of individual patients to the extent possible.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Evaluate and assess needs, capabilities, and limitations of individuals with blindness or visual impairment caused by injury or disease.
• Set goals and prescribe treatment plans as part of a multidisciplinary team supporting blind and visually impaired Veterans.
• Develop and coordinate the Veteran's Interdisciplinary Plan of Care (IPOC) with input from the Veteran, family, and all team members.
• Independently evaluate, treat, and manage Blind and Vision Rehabilitation programs that teach adaptive skills and techniques for daily life.
• Address significant physical, emotional, and social challenges faced by Veterans.
• Identify and resolve visual and non-visual barriers resulting in activity limitations, participation restrictions, vocational losses, and psychological distress using diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
• Assess difficulties and barriers to treatment for Veterans with single or multiple disabilities and develop interventions to enhance rehabilitation.
• Build close rapport with assigned Veterans and develop treatment plans to foster personal independence, emotional stability, and integration into community, family, and environment.
• Instruct Veterans on using remaining senses, protective techniques, and assistive devices for safe, efficient, and confident travel in various environments (indoor, residential, business, downtown, rural, public transportation, night travel, home area).
• Use and teach travel devices such as long canes, support canes, telescopic aids, sunglasses, walkers, and other mobility aids.
• Assess Veterans' functional level in travel, medical, physical, psychosocial, and environmental contexts; determine goals and prescribe individualized programs.
• Instruct Veterans on emerging technologies including Adaptive Global Position Devices (GPS), Electronic Travel Aids (ETAs), and other orientation aids.
• Educate Veterans about guide dogs, assess suitability, recommend referrals to approved guide dog schools, and support VA prosthetic approval for guide dogs.
• Work with family members and significant others to educate and counsel about the impact of visual impairment and teach strategies to cope with psychological and social challenges.
• Regularly serve as Team Coordinator for no more than two Veterans at a time, providing and documenting complex assessment, individualized planning, training progress, post-training skills, and recommendations.
• Assume administrative responsibilities in the absence of the Supervisory Blind Rehabilitation Specialist to ensure continued rehabilitation services.
• Stay informed about new technological developments in the field through research and education.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to medical and allied health staff, providing counseling on blindness, visual impairment, and rehabilitation.
• Obtain and maintain certification in the appropriate discipline of orientation and mobility in blind/vision rehabilitation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

Education:

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

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:

• 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).
• One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 -18 semester hours).
• 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.
• 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.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determination: GS-09

Experience. Bachelor's degree and completion of one year of experience.

OR

Education. Completion of at least two full years of progressive graduate education or a master's degree in a field directly related to the position.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the education and experience above the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of policies and procedures of the blind/vision rehabilitation service.
2. Knowledge of administration and interpretation of assessments and evaluations in blind/vision rehabilitation.
3. Ability to develop a basic written blind/vision rehabilitation plan from assessment results and develop more complex plans with consultation from supervisor.
4. Skill in instructing [Veterans] and families in a meaningful rehabilitation program and applying blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic techniques.
5. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision prosthetic devices for Veterans within the scope of practice.
6. Ability to serve as team coordinator for assigned Veterans during their rehabilitation programs.

Grade Determination: GS-11

Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade.

OR

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: Required at the GS-11 grade level and above. 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. Blind Rehabilitation Specialists who provide the following service must obtain certification in:

• Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS®) or a related, equivalent, professional certification

OR

• Orientation and mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS®)

OR

• Communication and daily living therapy/Rehabilitation Teaching - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT®)

OR

• Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT®) 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:

1. Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation.
2. Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions.
3. Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable, measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes.
4. Skill in instructional methods and learning principles.
5. Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan.
6. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within scope of practice, making adaptations and modifications as required.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: A Blind Rehabilitation Specialist 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, and hospitals. Physical Requirements are per VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service

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.