Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist

Summary The Eastern Colorado Health Care System, located in Aurora, CO is currently recruiting for one GS-11 target GS-12 Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist, BROS for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitative Service. Requirements 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 probationary 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. 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). Qualifications Applicants pending completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred & tentatively selected but can't be hired until all requirements are metBasic Requirements Citizenship Must be US citizen Non-citizens only appointed when not possible to recruit qualified US citizens English Language Proficiency Must be proficient in spoken & written English Education Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university w/ major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation or closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family & consumer science education, technology & industrial arts education OR Master's degree from accredited college or university w/ major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, or closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family & consumer science education, technology & industrial arts education OR Bachelor's or master's degree from accredited college or university w/out major field of study & obtained certificate from accredited college or university in core curriculum in orientation & mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind & visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy. Education must have included supervised practice AND Completion of 1 year progressively complex experience equivalent to BRS GS-9 grade OR 3 years progressively higher-level graduate education leading to doctoral degree in blind rehabilitation or directly related field Note: Foreign graduates must have proof of minimum of bachelor's degree from accredited college or university or foreign equivalent as verified through independent credential evaluation company w/ specialization in blind rehabilitation Certification Required at all levels 1) Applicants must possess at least 1 active, current, full & unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment 2) Applicants who have ever had certification suspended, restricted, limited or issued/placed in probationary status may be appointed only according to provisions in Chapter 3, Sec B, Para 16. Applicants who have ever had certifications revoked or terminated for cause, or voluntarily relinquished such certification after being notified in writing by State of potential revocation or termination for cause, is ineligible for employment & must be removed from occupation. Applies even if applicant possesses 1 or more valid certifications or registration NOTE: Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals, ACVREP administers four certification programs: Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Certified Assistive Technology Instructions Specialist & Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. They may then use the designation for certification they hold BROS who provide following services must obtain & maintain 1 certification at GS-11 grade level & two certifications at GS-12 grade level granted by ACVREP as follows Orientation & mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, COMS® Communication & daily living therapy - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists, CVRT® Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists, CLVT® Assistive technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist, CATIS® Loss of Credential BROS must maintain full, valid & unrestricted independent certifications to remain qualified for employment once certified. Loss of certifications results in removal from BROS occupation & may result in employment termination Grade Determination Requirements: Candidates must possess following grade determination requirements in addition to basic requirements GS-11 Experience None beyond basic requirements AND Certification At least one ACVREP certification AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, KSAs Candidate must demonstrate all following KSAs plus above experience a) Knowledge & understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations & diagnostic tests & procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation b) Ability to properly assess wide variety of patients having multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions c) Skill in development & writing of blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines w/ observable, measurable goals & that identifies specific outcomes d) Knowledge of teaching methods & learning principles e) Ability to employ interventions, unusual motivational techniques & coordinate treatment w/ other professionals to achieve outcomes of rehabilitation plan f) Skill in recommending appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for patients w/in scope of practice, making adaptations & modifications as required g) Ability to plan, direct & distribute work assignments to volunteers, assistants, interns &/or BRSs at lower grade levels & perform assigned mentoring duties for staff, students & interns GS-12 Experience Completion of minimum of 1 year of experience equivalent to GS-11 grade level plus basic requirements AND Certification At least two ACVREP certifications AND Demonstrated KSAs Candidate must demonstrate all following KSAs in addition to experience above a) Skill to independently develop, plan & administer complex treatment programs b) Ability to act as subject matter expert in blind/vision rehabilitation field & as consultant, supervisor &/or mentor in evaluating & treating patients in specialty or program areas c) Ability to coordinate, motivate & effectively manage staff &/or committee members to include organizing work, setting priorities & delegating tasks & responsibilities d) Ability to disseminate appropriate information through various media as consultant or mentor e) Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing w/ patients, employees, other team leaders, managers & other stakeholders f) Ability to identify team group dynamics, objectively observe & modify behaviors g) Ability to apply decision-making principles to adjust programs on day-to-day basis, to develop short-term & long-range goals & plan for future utilization of resources Preferred qualifications: 2 or more Blind Rehabilitation ACVREP Certifications Reference please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ for qualification standards information Full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Applicants may be selected as GS-11 or GS-12 for this vacancy Physical Requirements: Frequently lift/carry <15 lbs Frequent use of computer equipment Sit, walk, stand, bend, carry papers, books, laptop/other items, climb/descend stairs frequently Complete, pass & maintain Basic Life Support certification Possess & maintain valid state driver's license Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts can be unofficial transcripts, but must include your name, the school's entire name, the name of the course, date course taken, grade received for the course, amount of credits earned for the course, date degree conferred, and name of degree received. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Read more Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.