Rehab Counselor II

State of Main; Lewiston (AL); On-site; USD 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13 paid holidays

Vacation leave

Health insurance

Retirement plan (MainePERS)

Gym membership reimbursement

Parental leave

Job summary

The State of Maine invites applications for the Rehabilitation Counselor II – Targeted Caseload across Regions I–III. The role focuses on assisting adults with I/DD to achieve competitive employment, collaborating with families, providers, employers, and schools to craft individualized rehab plans.

Primary duties include counseling, job development, partnership building, and thorough documentation in the AWARE system. Requires a bachelor’s in a related field and two years of relevant experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a field related to vocational rehabilitation with 2 years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Establishing a counseling relationship with consumers.
• Contacting business and industry groups to advocate for clients and place them in jobs.
• Building partnerships within the workforce development system.
• Evaluating medical and psychological information to develop a rehabilitation plan for employment.
• Maintaining documentation using the AWARE data system.

Skills

Remote work strategies

Interpersonal skills

Oral & written communication

Flexibility

Labor market knowledge

Team player

Prioritization & organization

Documentation

Travel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in rehab-related field

Tools

AWARE

Job description

Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Job Class Code: 3082

Grade: 22 (Professional/Technical)

Salary: $26.36 - $33.73 (Hourly)- (includes a 2% stipend)

Location: Lewiston, ME

Opening Date: October 28, 2026

Closing Date: November 12, 2026

Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

Would you like to be part of a team that is focused on assisting individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) to meet their employment goals? If so, you may be interested in a position as a Rehabilitation Counselor II – Targeted Caseload. This position will be located across Regions I, II, and III of the state’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) serving clients in the greater Augusta, Lewiston and Portland areas. This position will provide vocational rehabilitation services to adults with I/DD and will work extensively with individuals, families, providers, state agency partners, employers, and schools to increase competitive integrated employment outcomes in meaningful careers that meet each individual’s needs. DVR believes in the importance of ongoing staff development and provides opportunities for staff to stay current in their knowledge of best practices in supported employment services.

Interested in learning more about the career of a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6pVu-TT8Rs

Given the nature of the job responsibilities, after a conditional offer of employment is made, certain positions may be subject to fingerprinting as part of the background process.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Establishing a counseling relationship and partnership with consumers.
• Contacting business and industry groups, advocating for clients, and offering incentives and assistance to place clients in jobs.
• Building partnerships within the workforce development system.
• Evaluating and interpreting medical and psychological information, then assessing client needs and available resources to develop and implement a comprehensive rehabilitation plan leading to employment.
• Maintaining accurate documentation using AWARE computer-based client data system.

Skills or knowledge required:

• Strategies to effectively work remotely.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Flexibility and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of the local labor market.
• Ability to work well as a member of a team.
• Excellent prioritization, organization and time management skills.
• Detail-oriented documentation.
• Frequent local and occasional statewide travel.

Minimum qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in a field related to vocational rehabilitation and 2 years of experience demonstrating knowledges and abilities in assisting individuals with disabilities, employers and other stakeholders with their employment and workforce needs.

Questions about this position should be directed to Samantha Fenderson, [e-mail]

Benefits 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.