Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern (College)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Shenango Township (PA); Hybrid; USD 47,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania invites applications for a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern at the New Castle District Office (Butler County). The program offers structured training, practical rehab services, and a pathway to promotion as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor upon successful completion and degree/certification.

The internship emphasizes hands-on practice with referrals, interviews, plan development, and progress tracking.

Qualifications

• Current enrollment in the final year of a master's degree program in vocational rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation education, or rehabilitation administration.
• Authorization by the college or university for the student to participate in the Commonwealth's Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern Program. Upon entering the internship, the student must be enrolled in the final semester of the appropriate master's degree program.
• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Responsibilities

• Referral Engagement: Personally contact and maintain referral sources to ensure persons with disabilities who may qualify for services are identified.
• Applicant Interviews: Conduct comprehensive face-to-face interviews to learn relevant information about each person and to explain service requirements, scope, and processes.
• Eligibility Decisions: Review medical, vocational, and other client information assess each person's rehabilitation potential and determine their eligibility for services.
• Plan Development: Work with customers to create an Individualized Plan for Employment; arrange for and approve expenditures; coordinate planned services.
• Progress Monitoring: Track customer progress and adjust plans as needed to support movement toward employment.
• Record Management: Write and enter case notes; review, enter, and customize letters communicating service authorization information

Education

Master's degree in vocational rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation education, or rehabilitation administration

Job description

Salary: $46,827.00 - $70,592.00 Annually

Location: Butler County, PA

Job Type: Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number: CS-2026-61395-44825

Department: Department of Labor & Industry

Division: LI BVRS New Castle Dstr Off

Opening Date: 10/27/2026

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

Job Code: 44825

Position Number: 00074317

Union: SEIU Local 668

Bargaining Unit: F4

Pay Group: ST05

Bureau / Division Code: 00126265

Bureau / Division: Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services - New Castle District Office

Worksite Address: 2656 Ellwood Road

City: New Castle, Pennsylvania

Zip Code: 16101

Contact Name: Kaleya Rivera Pena

Contact Email: [e-mail]

THE POSITION

Do you want to begin a career helping people with disabilities discover paths to employment and greater independence? Apply to be a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern with the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. This role with our New Castle District Office will be part of the caseload coverage for Butler County. Our structured training program offers you the chance to acquire working skills, knowledge, and experience providing a full range of vocational rehabilitation services supporting individuals with disabilities as they work toward stable and rewarding careers. Become part of a team that opens doors to brighter futures!

Upon successful completion of the internship and the degree or certificate program, interns will be eligible for promotion as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This internship involves formal and on-the-job training designed to provide practical work experience in vocational rehabilitation services that help individuals with disabilities prepare for and secure gainful employment. It creates connections with communities to ensure customers are identified and referred to our office, have input and agency in their vocational plan, and are linked to effective service providers. As a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern, you will learn and perform the following duties:

• Referral Engagement: Personally contact and maintain referral sources to ensure persons with disabilities who may qualify for services are identified
• Applicant Interviews: Conduct comprehensive face-to-face interviews to learn relevant information about each person and to explain service requirements, scope, and processes
• Eligibility Decisions: Review medical, vocational, and other client information assess each person's rehabilitation potential and determine their eligibility for services
• Plan Development: Work with customers to create an Individualized Plan for Employment; arrange for and approve expenditures; coordinate planned services
• Progress Monitoring: Track customer progress and adjust plans as needed to support movement toward employment
• Record Management: Write and enter case notes; review, enter, and customize letters communicating service authorization information

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. The position is eligible for AWS (alternate work schedule).
• 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 New Castle or an approved office in the caseload coverage area territory. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Note: This position will serve Butler County.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $46,827 (before taxes).
• 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

Internship Requirement:

• Current enrollment in the final year of a master's degree program in vocational rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation education, or rehabilitation administration.

Special Requirement:

• Authorization by the college or university for the student to participate in the Commonwealth's Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Intern Program. Upon entering the internship, the student must be enrolled in the final semester of the appropriate master's degree program.

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.

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.