Orientation and Mobility Specialist

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania • Schuylkill County, PA

22h • Hybrid

About 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. 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.

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).
• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.
• Satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

Responsibilities

• 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

Benefits

• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, upon successful completion of the training period.
• Alternate Work Schedules (AWS) are eligible.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level