Therapeutic Activities Worker

Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania; Elim (PA); On-site; USD 53,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Johnstown, PA, seeks a Therapeutic Activities Worker to support students with disabilities through evening programs, activities, and staff collaboration.

The role emphasizes designing and implementing therapeutic recreation, teaching social skills, fostering independent living, and contributing to program development and administrative tasks to ensure student growth and success.

Qualifications

• Four years of experience providing therapeutic activities for individuals with physical, medical, or cognitive disabilities.
• Bachelor's degree with major coursework in therapeutic recreation, physical education, vocational rehabilitation, vocational education or counseling, art, music, dance, or occupational therapies, or related human services field.
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.

Responsibilities

• Activity Design: Create, implement, evaluate, and participate in on-campus events, field trips, and outside activities for students to learn from and enjoy.
• Student Training: Teach social skills to students through activities, group sessions, individual guidance, and community-based experiences.
• Skill Integration: Provide activities and opportunities that help students practice and improve skills for work, community life, and independent living.
• Program Development: Research, develop, and adapt techniques, activities, and events to match students' needs.
• Administrative Support: Maintain required records, coordinate schedules, and ensure necessary supplies and equipment are available for program success.

Skills

Four years of experience providing

Education

Bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation/related field

Equivalent combination of experience and training

Job description

Salary $53,008.00 - $80,646.00 Annually

Location Cambria County, PA

Job Type Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number CS-2026-56844-31920

Department Department of Labor & Industry

Division LI OVR Rco Student Life

Opening Date 08/25/2026

Closing Date 9/8/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code 31920

Position Number Multiple positions may be filled from this posting.

Union SEIU Local 668

Bargaining Unit F4

Pay Group ST06

Bureau / Division Code 00126360

Worksite Address 727 Goucher Street

City Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Zip Code 18472

Contact Name Moureen Gunyanyi

Contact Email [e-mail]

Bureau / Division Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Center Operations, Student Life Division

THE POSITION

Do you want to help inspire students to build skills that will support their success in daily life and future careers? Apply to be a Therapeutic Activities Worker at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. As part of the Department of Labor & Industry, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, we deliver supportive services to prepare Pennsylvanians with disabilities for competitive employment. This mission‑critical role provides evening programming that promotes student engagement, positive campus culture, and meaningful participation needed to support our students' growth. Be part of a team where your work truly makes a difference!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position supports students by providing activities, events, and creative programming that overlaps or combines various aspects of therapeutic recreation, occupational therapy, and vocational adjustment. It encourages student participation in activities and independent living to help them build the skills, confidence, and connections they will need to achieve their goals. As a Therapeutic Activities Worker, you will perform the following duties:

• Activity Design: Create, implement, evaluate, and participate in on-campus events, field trips, and outside activities for students to learn from and enjoy
• Student Training: Teach social skills to students through activities, group sessions, individual guidance, and community-based experiences
• Skill Integration: Provide activities and opportunities that help students practice and improve skills for work, community life, and independent living
• Program Development: Research, develop, and adapt techniques, activities, and events to match students' needs
• Administrative Support: Maintain required records, coordinate schedules, and ensure necessary supplies and equipment are available for program success

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Sunday - Thursday, with a 30-minute lunch.
• Occasional overtime and travel are required.
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non‑negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

• Four years of experience providing therapeutic activities for individuals with physical, medical, or cognitive disabilities; or
• A bachelor's degree with major coursework in therapeutic recreation; physical education; vocational rehabilitation; vocational education or counseling; art, music, dance, or occupational therapies; or a related human services field; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within three months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• 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.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• 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.

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.