Blindness Rehabilitation Specialist - Anticipated Vacancy

State-of-Maine; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Paid holidays

Retirement plan

Job summary

State of Maine seeks a Blindness Rehabilitation Specialist Transition Consultant to support youth with visual impairments across education and vocational planning. The role emphasizes coordinated services, advocacy, and collaboration with families, schools, TVIs, O&M specialists, and other professionals.

You will assess needs, facilitate IEP development, and help navigate resources to promote independence and successful transition to adulthood for birth-to-24 populations, primarily middle school

Qualifications

• Knowledge of blindness and visual impairment and their impact on development.
• Knowledge of rehabilitation services, programs, and resources.
• Knowledge of federal and state special education laws and service systems.
• Ability to coordinate services with families, schools, and agencies.

Responsibilities

• Meets with clients, families, and professionals to explain laws, rights, services, options, timelines, and resources.
• Provides Pre-ETS and transition services under WIOA guidance.
• Counsels and supports transition-age youth and collaborates with VR counselors.
• Prepares case notes, reports, and recommendations documenting progress.

Skills

Knowledge of blindness and visual Imp

Counseling and family engagement

Advocacy and interagency coordination

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education (Pre-school/early childhood)

Education of the Blind or Visually Disabled

Job description

If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State’s career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State..Blindness Rehabilitation SpecialistTransition ConsultantDepartment of Labor – Bureau of Rehabilitation ServicesDivision for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI)Job Class Code: 5052Grade: 23 - Professional/TechnicalSalary: $51,500.80-$72,259.20/AnnuallyLocation: PortlandOpening Date: November 3, 3036Closing Date: November 18, 2026Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.Children and young adults who are blind or have low vision, along with their families, have unique needs that often require coordinated support from multiple providers, agencies, and systems across home, school, community, and vocational settings.The BLRS/TC provides consultation, service coordination, advocacy, and connections to resources and information for individuals from birth through age 24 and their families. Working collaboratively with the individual, family, and rehabilitation team, the BLRS/TC helps identify needs, navigate services, and plan for future educational, vocational, and independent living goals.Although the position serves individuals across the birth-to-24 age range, the BLRS/TC works most closely with middle school students and youth preparing for transition to adulthood.Primary Tasks• Meets with clients, families, and relevant professionals to explain applicable laws, rights, services, options, timelines, and alternative resources.• Provides services to potentially eligible students, including Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and transition services, consistent with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).• Provides vocational rehabilitation services to transition-age youth and consults with vocational rehabilitation counselors to support continuity between educational and vocational services.• Counsels and supports children and families regarding DBVI services, adjustment to blindness or visual impairment, and available resources.• Coordinates with Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs), Orientation and Mobility Specialists (O&M), Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (VRTs), and other professionals to support comprehensive blindness rehabilitation services.• Advocates for and coordinates appropriate accommodations in early childhood, K–12, specialized school, postsecondary, vocational, and employment settings.• Coordinates Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) activities to support the development of skills needed for independence and successful transition to adulthood.• Assesses functional abilities and limitations related to blindness or visual impairment to inform educational, vocational, and rehabilitation planning.• Coordinates services and consultation for individuals with co-occurring disabilities in collaboration with families and other service providers.• Coordinates team meetings and collaborates with educational personnel and service providers to support Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and implementation.• Prepares case notes, reports, correspondence, and professional recommendations to document services, client progress, and program activities.• Participates in statewide and local boards, committees, and collaborative groups to promote advocacy, resource development, interagency coordination, and training.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities• Knowledge of blindness and visual impairment and their impact on social, emotional, educational, vocational, and independent living development.• Knowledge of blindness rehabilitation services, programs, and resources.• Knowledge of federal and state special education laws, regulations, and service systems.• Knowledge of co-occurring sensory, physical, mental health, and developmental disabilities and their interaction with blindness or visual impairment.• Knowledge of counseling, family engagement, case coordination, and multidisciplinary service delivery practices.• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, service needs, and work demands.• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.• Ability to coordinate services and collaborate with families, schools, agencies, and community partners.• Ability to advocate effectively for individuals who are blind or visually impaired and their families.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS : (Entry level knowledges, skills, and/or abilities may be acquired through, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO the following coursework/training and/or experience).A six (6) year combination of experience, training and education providing knowledge of special education, rehabilitation, or teaching. Preference for Pre-school positions will be given to candidates having a Bachelors Degree in Education with specialization in pre-school or early childhood development OR a four (4) year degree in Education of the Blind or Visually Disabled.For more information please contact Carrie Brooker at [e-mail] or at 207-949-0843To request a paper application, please contact Stephanie Hayes via email at [e-mail] of working for the State of Maine:No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—\"Dirigo\" or \"I lead\"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,857.68-$13,950.24 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements .Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).Retirement Plan – The State of Maine contributes 14.06% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office .Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave . Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act .Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package , covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness .Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.Thinking about applying?Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your experience and passion set you apart..If you are unable to complete the online application, please contact the Human Resources representative listed on the job opening you are interested in applying for. They will work with you for an alternative method of submitting.