Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor I

Job Requisition #55536 – open to all State employees and external applicants. This position is being recruited at multiple levels; apply separately for each level of interest.

About the role

Join a high-performing team dedicated to helping people with disabilities become employed and advance in their careers. As a Transition Counselor, you will primarily work with high-school-aged youth who have diagnosed physical, psychological, or cognitive disabilities. You will partner with schools, community providers, families, and consumers to deliver assessment, guidance, counseling, employment assistance, work experiences, case management, documentation, and cross-agency collaboration.

Duties are performed in diverse settings—Department offices, consumer homes, institutions, work sites, and service-provider premises. Substantial travel is required; you must have a private vehicle. Some work outside normal office hours may be required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct vocational assessments and career counseling for youth with disabilities
• Assist consumers in finding employment and securing work-based learning experiences
• Provide case management, including documentation and progress tracking
• Collaborate with schools, families, and community providers to coordinate services
• Use video platforms (MS Teams, Zoom, FaceTime) and MS Office tools proficiently

Requirements

• Master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling, psychology, social work, special education, counseling with a special-education focus, or a related counseling field
• Private transportation and willingness to travel extensively
• Pass applicable background checks: Vermont and/or national criminal record, DMV, and adult/child abuse registries

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional experience in human-services casework, preferably with individuals with disabilities

Special Requirements

If you do not hold a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential or a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling, you must commit in writing to complete, within three years of hire, graduate-level credits in:

• Medical or Psychosocial Aspects of Disabilities
• Vocational Counseling
• Vocational Assessment and Evaluation
• Job Placement or Occupational Information

Benefits

• 80% State-paid medical premium and no-cost dental plan for employees and their families
• 12 paid holidays and generous leave plan
• State Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI)
• Two retirement savings options: a defined-benefit pension plan and a deferred-compensation 457(b) plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and childcare
• Low-cost group life insurance
• Incentive-based Wellness Program
• Qualified Employer for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program