This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

A relocation or Recruitment Incentive is authorized for highly qualified candidates. This position is in the Office of VA Community Care (VACC) at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS). The incumbent is responsible for providing a full range of blind rehabilitation therapies to Veterans and service members to enhance the quality of life for individuals with vision loss. the incumbent will perform Orientation & Mobility (O&M) functions with patients functions independently in a number of settings including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, educational institutions and home environments responsible for the total rehabilitation process including assessing needs and identifying Veteran specific goals, development of individualized treatment plan, implementation of that plan, counseling, and recommending prosthetic and adaptive equipment to best meet the Veteran's training goals responsible for cross-training and teaching in integrated technology (e.g., smart phones, tablets, voice activated devices, etc.) and basic manual skills responsible to participate in cross training and teaching in that cross-trained area, and assisting in the cross-training instruction of other Blind Rehabilitation specialists, as well as developing instructional materials to be utilized by other instructors throughout the program. the employee must tailor rehabilitation care and support services to meet the needs of the individual Veteran. This includes the responsibility for assessment of each Veteran's needs and the delivery of services which are responsive to the concerns of individual Veterans to the extent possible evaluating and assessing needs, capabilities and limitations, goal setting and prescribing a treatment plan for individuals experiencing blindness/visual impairment caused by injury or disease studies visual and non-visual barriers and related processes that result in activity limitations, participation restrictions, loss of vocational and avocational opportunities, and psychological distress identify the difficulties confronting the Veteran and the barriers to treatment and then develop and provide intervention designed to enhance the blind and vision rehabilitation process responsible for using and maintaining discipline-specific technology necessary to assist in the Veteran's rehabilitation needs and processes such as electronic travel aids, computer assisted technology, speech output and input devices, large print devices and Braille devices, etc. is expected to maintain certification in COMS (Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist) through ACVREP (Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals) Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education (1) The individual must have earned: (a) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, closely related program in rehabilitation, special education for the visually impaired, family and consumer science education, or technology and industrial arts education [ ]. OR, (b) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included, or was supplemented by, at least one of the following: i. At least 30 semester hours of directly related, upper level undergraduate courses (e.g., at least 200-course level or higher, or as identified by the college or university). ii. One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 - 18 semester hours). iii. A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree. iv. Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in blind rehabilitation. Certification. Required at the GS-11 grade level and above. (1) Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), or another equivalent, closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation. GS-11 requires - Certification as an Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS).; GS-9 must acquire ACVREP Certification as an Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS). Grandfathering Provision. All BRSs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification(s) that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. This criteria is consistent with the two grade interval structure for professional/scientific professions found in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G17. BRS, GS-9 [(Entry Level)] (1) Experience. Bachelor's degree and completion of one year of experience. OR, (2) Education. Completion of at least two full years of progressive graduate education or a master's degree in a field directly related to the position. (3) Certification. No certification is required at this level, however GS-09 must acquire ACVREP Certification as an Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS) within 1 year. (4) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the education and experience above the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of policies and procedures of the blind/vision rehabilitation service. (b) Knowledge of administration and interpretation of assessments and evaluations in blind/vision rehabilitation. (c) Ability to develop a basic written blind/vision rehabilitation plan from assessment results and develop more complex plans with consultation from supervisor. (d) Skill in instructing [Veterans] and families in a meaningful rehabilitation program and applying blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic techniques. (e) Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision prosthetic devices for Veterans within the scope of practice. (f) Ability to serve as team coordinator for assigned Veterans during their rehabilitation programs. BRS, GS-11 Full performance level for BRS (1) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade. OR, (2) Education. Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree; or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly related field. (3) Certification. Certification is required at this grade level and above. Staff BRS candidates must meet the certification requirements in paragraph 3c(1) above.BRSs at the GS-11 grade level must have at least one certification from ACVREP or a related, equivalent, professional certification, specifically GS-11 requires Certification as an Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS). (4) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation. (b) Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions. (c) Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable, measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes. (d) Skill in instructional methods and learning principles. (e) Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan. (f) Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within scope of practice, making adaptations and modifications as required. References: VA Handbook 5005/109 PART II APPENDIX G41, March 13, 2019The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work requires occasional bending; reaching above the shoulder; moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); medium carrying (up to 40 pounds); both hands required; walking for 4 hours; standing for 5 hours; pushing or pulling objects; near vision correctable; and hearing (aid may be permitted). You may be required to offsite; work closely with others; and work alone. The work requires the ability to cope with a variety and complexity of situations due to the diversity of patients, duties and responsibilities.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Tucson VA Medical Center 3601 South Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ 85723 US
• Name: David Tweedy
• Phone: 520-312-5779
• Email: [email protected]