Orientation and Mobility Specialist

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); Hybrid; USD 54,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services in Harrisburg seeks an Orientation and Mobility Specialist to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired. You will assess customers, develop service plans, and deliver training in cane use, travel aids, and assistive technology.

You will monitor progress, collaborate with families and professionals, and maintain electronic records.

Qualifications

• Requires ability to interview customers and develop individualized service plans.
• Qualification includes a degree or certificate in orientation and mobility with practicum.
• Active ACVREP Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist certificate or eligibility within three months of graduation.

Responsibilities

• Interview customers, observe functioning, review reports, and confer with staff to create service plans.
• Develop service plans with instruction schedules to support adjustment and rehabilitation.
• Instruct in cane usage, low vision/travel aids, and assistive tech.
• Monitor progress and adjust plans to maximize benefit.
• Guide families, staff, and partners to improve service delivery and understanding.
• Maintain electronic case files, notes, and reports.

Skills

Customer assessment

Plan development

Skill training

Progress monitoring

Collaboration

Record keeping

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s in Orientation and Mobility

ACVREP Certification

Orientation & Mobility intern program completion

Job description

Orientation and Mobility Specialist is a rewarding professional opportunity focused on empowering others. This role with the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS), Harrisburg District Office offers the chance to make a real difference for individuals who are blind or visually impaired in a high population, multi-county coverage area. You will perform specialized work providing orientation and mobility training to help the people we serve develop skills required to travel safely and independently within their homes and in their communities.

This position provides a full range of rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. BBVS services are designed to assist individuals in their homes and communities so they can work and maintain independent lives. As an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

• Customer Assessment: Interview customers, observe their current level of functioning, review reports, and confer with staff to develop individualized service plans
• Plan Development: Create service plans with schedules of instruction that support adjustment, learning, and rehabilitation
• Skill Training: Provide sequences of individual and group instruction in how to use a cane, low vision and electronic travel aids, and other assistive technology and strategies
• Progress Monitoring: Track customer progress and adjust plans to ensure that the customer benefits from instruction
• Collaboration Support: Provide guidance to families, staff, and community partners to improve service delivery, cultural awareness, and general understanding
• Record Management: Maintain accurate electronic case files, notes, and reports in required systems

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. AWS (alternate work schedule) may be available.
• This position is part of the Harrisburg District Office. You will be assigned a territory within Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties.
• 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 Harrisburg or an approved office in the caseload territory. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary:Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $60,538.00 (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 commonwealth’s Orientation and Mobility Intern program; or
• A bachelor’s or master’s degree or certificate from an approved college or university program in orientation and mobility that includes a practicum; or
• Possession of an active Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist certificate issued by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
• 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.

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.