Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Do you want to help people with disabilities discover paths to employment and greater independence? Apply to be a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. This role with our New Castle District Office will be part of the caseload coverage for Butler County. You will provide a full range of vocational rehabilitation services supporting individuals with disabilities as they work toward stable and rewarding careers. Become part of a team that opens doors to brighter futures!

This position provides vocational rehabilitation services that help individuals with disabilities prepare for and secure gainful employment. It creates connections with communities to ensure customers are identified and referred to our office, have input and agency in their vocational plan, and are linked to effective service providers. As a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, you will perform the following duties:

• Referral Engagement: Personally contact and maintain referral sources to ensure persons with disabilities who may qualify for services are identified
• Applicant Interviews: Conduct comprehensive face-to-face interviews to learn relevant information about each person and to explain service requirements, scope, and processes
• Eligibility Decisions: Review medical, vocational, and other client information assess each person’s rehabilitation potential and determine their eligibility for services
• Plan Development: Work with customers to create an Individualized Plan for Employment; arrange for and approve expenditures; coordinate planned services
• Progress Monitoring: Track customer progress and adjust plans as needed to support movement toward employment
• Record Management: Write and enter case notes; review, enter, and customize letters communicating service authorization information

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 37.5 hours per week, Monday – Friday
• Work hours are typically 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM with a 30-minute lunch. Work schedule may be negotiable within a 7.5 hour work day.  The position is eligible for AWS (alternate work schedule).
• 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 New Castle or an approved office in the caseload coverage area territory. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Note: This position will serve Butler County.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $60,538 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

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. 
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant’s own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

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.

• 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.