Orientation and Mobility Specialist

THE POSITION

As an Orientation and Mobility Specialist for the Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services, you will help blind and visually impaired people learn the skills they need to travel through their lives with confidence. Work focuses on planning and providing instruction that empowers people to live safely and independently while promoting cultural awareness and educational background amongst community partners, professionals, and the families of people we serve. Apply now for the chance to make a meaningful difference every day!

This position is part of the Wilkes-Barre District Office; however, the caseload area may cover the following counties: Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

With our office, you will provide orientation and mobility instruction to blind and visually impaired customers. This work helps children and adults gain the skills they need to live and travel independently within their homes, workplaces, and communities. As an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

• Assessments: Interview and observe individuals who are referred for services, review reports, and confer with staff to fully understand each person’s needs and motivation
• Service Planning: Develop individual service plans for instruction, provide further referrals, and recommend adaptive equipment based on each person’s individual needs, input, and circumstances
• Skill Instruction: Teach sequences of individualized and group instruction to provide experience-based learning and supervised practice
• Progress Evaluation: Monitor achievement and adjust instruction to support individual success
• Supportive Counseling: Provide guidance to individuals and families to help them understand and utilize mobility skills, options, and opportunities

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 negotiable - 7.5 hour workday and lunch period is 30 minutes or 60 minutes depending on work hours. The position eligible for Alternate Work Schedules (AWS).
• 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 Wilkes-Barre. This location may be flexible depending on the selected candidate. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• **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
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Successful completion of the commonwealth’s Orientation and Mobility Intern program; or
• A bachelor’s or master’s degree or certificate from an approved college or university program in orientation and mobility that includes a practicum; or
• Possession of an active Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist certificate issued by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).

Other Requirements:

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.

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.

Health & Wellness

We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.

Compensation & Financial Planning
We invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.

Work/Life Balance
We know there’s more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, eight weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.

Values and Culture
We believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.

Employee Perks
Sometimes, it is the little “extras” that make a big difference. Our employees receive special employee-only discounts and rates on a variety of services and memberships.

For more information on all of these Total Rewards benefits, please visit www.employment.pa.gov and click on the benefits box.

• Eligibility rules apply.