Vision Rehabilitation Therapist

Vision Rehabilitation Therapist

Salary

$60,538.00 - $92,010.00 Annually

Location

Dauphin County, PA

Job Type

Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number

CS-2026-54211-44210

Department

Department of Labor & Industry

Division

LI BBVS Harrisburg Dstr Off

Opening Date

07/21/2026

Closing Date

8/3/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code

44210

Position Number

00262692

Union

SEIU

Bargaining Unit

F4

Pay Group

ST07

Bureau / Division Code

00126415

Bureau / Division

Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, Harrisburg District Office

Worksite Address

651 Boas Street, 7th Floor

City

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Zip Code

17121

Contact Name

Kaleya Rivera Pena

Contact Email

kriverapen@pa.gov

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

THE POSITION

As a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist with the Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services, you will play an important role supporting customers as they adjust to vision loss. This position with our Harrisburg District Office, will help provide provide these services in the following counties: Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and Perry. You will work directly with individuals of all ages as they learn strategies to navigate daily tasks with greater ease and maintain their independence at home, at work, and in their communities. Take the next step in your career with a team that values public service, practical problem-solving, and supportive collaboration.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position centers on providing guidance, adaptive techniques, and useful resources to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Success relies on thoughtful, responsive planning and effective communication with customers and community partners. As a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, you will perform the following duties:

• Assess Customer Needs: Gather information by interviewing customers about their needs, motivations, and goals; reviewing reports; and conferring with other professionals
• Develop Service Plans: Work with customers to develop and coordinate individualized plans that teach coping skills, adaptive techniques, and provide related rehabilitation services
• Teach New Skills: Provide customers with supportive counseling, individual and group experienced-based learning, and supervised practice
• Review Progress: Monitor how customers develop skills and utilize adaptive supports; provide encouragement and adjust plans when needed to support safe and independent daily living
• Train Community Supports: Provide guidance, training, and consultation to community organizations that serve blind and visually impaired individuals
• Keep Accurate Records: Maintain detailed documentation of assignments, notes, plans, and reports as well as referrals and follow-up for other supportive services

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 typically 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch. This positions work hours are negotiable - 7.5 hour workday and lunch period is 30 minutes (or 60 minutes depending on work hours). This position may be eligible for Alternate Work Schedules (AWS).
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, upon successful completion of probationary 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 Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: Most candidates will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $60,538 (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

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Successful completion of the commonwealth's Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Intern program (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• A bachelor's or master's degree or certificate from an approved college or university program in rehabilitation teaching of the blind or visually impaired, vision rehabilitation therapy, teacher of the visually impaired, or education with a concentration in visual impairment, that includes a practicum; or
• Possession of an active Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist certificate issued by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within three months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

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.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

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.

#CWOPA

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.

Learn more about our Total Rewards by watching this short video!

See the total value of your benefits package by exploring our benefits calculator.

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.

01

You must complete the supplemental question(s) below. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You must complete the application and answer the supplemental question(s). Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.

All information you provide on your application and supplemental question(s) is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty.

Read the question(s) carefully. Determine and select the option that most closely represents your highest level of experience/training/certification. The option you choose must be clearly supported if requested.

If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.

If you have general questions regarding the application and hiring process, please refer to our FAQ page.

• Yes

02

Have you successfully completed the Commonwealths Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Intern program?

• Yes
• No

03

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.

04

Have you successfully completed a bachelors or masters degree or certificate from an approved college or university program in rehabilitation teaching of the blind or visually impaired, vision rehabilitation therapy, teacher of the visually impaired, or education with a concentration in visual impairment, that includes a practicum?

If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted.

If you answer "Yes" to this question based on education acquired outside of the United States, you must upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation report. We can only accept foreign credential evaluations from organizations that are members of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES). A list of current NACES members can be found by visiting www.naces.org and clicking the Evaluation Services Link.

You must attach your documentation prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a document to the application after it has been submitted.

• Yes
• No

05

If you answered "Yes" to the above question and you are in possession of a certificate, please provide your certificate number and expiration date in the text box below. Upload a copy of the certificate using the Attachment tab. If you answered "No", please type N/A if the text box below.

06

If you are within three months of completing bachelor's or master's degree or certificate from an approved college or university program in rehabilitation teaching of the blind or visually impaired, vision rehabilitation therapy, teacher of the visually impaired, or education with a concentration in visual impairment, that includes a practicum, on what date do you expect to graduate? If this does not apply to you, please type N/A in the text box.

07

Do you possess an active Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist certificate issued by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP)?

• Yes
• No

08

If you answered YES to the above question, please provide your certificate number and expiration date in the text box below. Upload a copy of the certificate using the Attachment tab. If you answered NO, please type N/A if the text box below.

Required Question

Employer Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Address 613 North Street

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120

Website http://www.employment.pa.gov