Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist; BROS

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30 - 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be May 18 - 2026; with subsequent cut-off dates on the 30th of each month until 09/30/2027. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as‑needed basis until positions are filled.

• United States Citizenship:
  Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. 7407(a)
• English Language Proficiency:
  Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education:
  
  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 or a closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, technology, and industrial arts education
  • (b) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation or a closely related program in rehabilitation, special education, family and consumer science education, technology, and industrial arts education
  • (c) A bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (a) and (b)) and obtained 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
• This education must have included supervised practice
• Completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the BRS - GS-9 grade level
• Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a doctoral degree in blind rehabilitation or a directly related field
• Certification:
  Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full, and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment
• An applicant who has or ever had his/her certification suspended, restricted, limited, or placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in Chapter 3 - Section B - Paragraph 16 of this part
• An applicant who has or has ever had a certification revoked or terminated for cause (or voluntarily relinquished such certification after being notified in writing by the State of potential revocation or termination for cause) is ineligible for employment and must be removed from the GS-0601 series
• This applies even if the applicant possesses one or more valid certifications or registrations (38 U.S.C. 7402(f))
• NOTE:
  
  The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP) administers four certification programs:
  Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Certified Assistive Technology Instructions Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy
• BROS who provide the following services must obtain and maintain two certifications at the GS-12 grade level granted by ACVREP:
  • (a) Orientation and mobility training – Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS)
  • (b) Communication and daily living therapy – Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT)
  • (c) Low vision therapy – Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT)
  • (d) Assistive technology – Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS)
• Creditable
  
  Experience:
  
  To be creditable the experience must demonstrate possession of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current blind and vision rehabilitation practice as outlined in the current scope and standards…