Rehabilitation Counselor II - Targeted - Lewiston

MaineGuide; Lewiston, Northern (ME, KY); Hybrid; USD 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation within the Department of Labor seeks a Rehabilitation Counselor II – Targeted Caseload to support clients across Regions I, II and III, including Augusta, Lewiston and Portland. You will deliver vocational rehabilitation services to adults with I/DD and collaborate with families, employers and schools to enhance competitive employment outcomes.

The role emphasizes building partnerships, interpreting medical and psychological information, and using the AWARE

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of relevant experience in assisting individuals with disabilities and stakeholders.
• Strong communication, documentation and collaboration skills are required.
• Knowledge of labor markets and ability to travel locally is important.

Responsibilities

• Establish counseling relationships with consumers and partners.
• Contact business groups, advocate for clients and assist in placing them in jobs.
• Build partnerships within the workforce development system.
• Assess needs and resources to develop rehabilitation plans leading to employment.
• Maintain accurate documentation in the AWARE data system.

Skills

Communication skills

Flexibility

Problem solving

Labor market knowledge

Team player

Time management

Documentation accuracy

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in vocational rehabilitation or related field

Tools

AWARE system

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.

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: September 23, 2026
Closing Date: October 7, 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.

Contact information:

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