Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Lyons (NJ); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS) based in Lyons, New Jersey. The role involves managing and providing direct training services to visually impaired Veterans. Candidates must possess relevant degrees and certifications and demonstrate extensive knowledge of blind rehabilitation practices. This position offers a full-time schedule, Monday to Friday, with telework available on an ad-hoc basis.

Qualifications

• Full U.S. citizenship is required.
• Possess a valid and unrestricted certification in blind rehabilitation.
• Must have completed one year of progressively complex experience at the GS-9 level.

Responsibilities

• Manage and provide direct rehabilitation training services to visually impaired Veterans.
• Develop individualized rehabilitation training plans for each Veteran.
• Consult with other departments and services to locate and serve potential Veterans.

Skills

English Language Proficiency

Knowledge of blind and vision rehabilitation practices

Ability to work independently

Consultation and mentorship skills

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in relevant field

Certification in Orientation and Mobility or Vision Rehabilitation Therapy

Tools

Assessment tools and methods

Complex training aids and devices

Job description

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30 - 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be May 18 - 2026; with subsequent cut-off dates on the 30th of each month until 09/30/2027. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as‑needed basis until positions are filled.

Qualifications

• 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
  • (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
  • (c) A bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (a) and (b)) 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
• Completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the BRS - GS-9 grade level
• Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a doctoral degree in blind rehabilitation or a directly related field
• Certification: Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full, and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment
• An applicant who has or ever had his/her certification suspended, restricted, limited, or 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 registrations (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
• BROS who provide the following services must obtain and maintain two certifications at the GS-12 grade level granted by ACVREP:
  • (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 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 (paid or non‑paid employment, VA or Non‑VA, as a BRS or BROS)
  • (2) Academic coursework leading to an advanced degree in blind or vision rehabilitation or a 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 (e.g., a BROS receives 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, 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
• 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, including 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, develop short‑term and long‑range goals, and plan for future utilization of resources
• Preferred Experience: An applicant with 3–5 years of clinical experience providing rehabilitation to severely visually impaired veterans with two certifications in blind rehabilitation disciplines, ideally one in Orientation and Mobility and the other in Low Vision Therapy or 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

Duties

• 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 characterized by a significant number of older male patients and young OEF/OIF Veterans with 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 can benefit from blind and vision rehabilitation training
• Incumbent consults with VIST eye clinics, blind and vision rehabilitation services, and community resources to locate and serve potential Veterans, offering direct blind and vision rehabilitation service in all four skill areas in the veteran’s home, other residence, or within the community as need arises
• The incumbent is responsible for blind and vision rehabilitation assessment, planning, training, and outcomes evaluation for 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 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 and measurable outcomes
• In some cases, the plan is communicated to the Blind Rehabilitation Center to expedite inpatient rehabilitation training if that is part of the veteran’s care plan
• The incumbent prioritizes rehabilitation training activities to maximize Veterans served, consistent with quality care and safety
• Rehabilitation training is 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 with post‑discharge needs are prioritized for outpatient treatment
• The incumbent makes maximum use of outpatient clinical facilities and, together with proper and judicious use of home‑based services, as necessary
• To maximize Veteran rehabilitation potential, the incumbent uses a wide variety of complex training aids and devices
• Incumbent also uses complex assessment tools and trains Veterans on sophisticated prosthetics and sensory aids, including sophisticated computer interfaces for 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 to aid adjustment to blindness as an integral component of the work
• The incumbent relies on extensive knowledge of 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.