Title: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Trainee (Adult, Student and Youth Caseload) - #ARS00403, ARS00953 (Previous applicants need not reapply)
State Role Title: Counselor II
Hiring Range: See Notation
Pay Band: 4
Agency: Dept for Aging & Rehab Svcs
Location: Aging & Rehab Svcs
Agency Website: https://www.dars.virginia.gov
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
If making a real impact on the lives of clients energizes you, we want you on our team! We’re hiring two positions—a Counselor I (Trainee) and a Counselor II—giving qualified candidates options that fit their experience. Join a mission‑driven organization, work with a supportive and inclusive team, and enjoy outstanding state benefits.
Job Duties:
In partnership with people with disabilities, the Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS), a division of the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), assists individuals with disabilities in making informed choices that maximize their employment opportunities through coordinated service delivery. DRS staff support the Virginia Career Works Network in delivering quality workforce services to individuals with disabilities who want to work, as well as to employers seeking to hire them.
We are seeking to fill two positions: a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor / Trainee (Adult Caseload) and a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor / Trainee (Student and Youth). These roles provide vocational rehabilitation counseling and guidance, case management, and comprehensive service delivery to help individuals with disabilities achieve competitive integrated employment (CIE). Employees must adhere to all federal and state regulations and agency policies and procedures, including WIOA Title IV requirements.
Position #ARS00403: Serves adults in Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Rappahannock, and Fauquier Counties. This position works with adult clients with varying disabilities.
Position #ARS00953 Serves the five counties in the Culpeper region. There are nine high schools in this area, and two counties have participated in the VCU Pre-ETS grant. Of the 397 currently open clients in Culpeper, 122 are VR SWD and 74 are PE SWD, meaning this counselor may potentially serve 196 cases.
Other duties and special projects may be assigned as needed or directed by the supervisor.
Notation
The agency has the option of filling this job at the Counselor I (Trainee) level if fully qualified applicants are interviewed and not selected. The minimum for a Counselor I (Trainee) is $50,107. The minimum for a Counselor II (fully qualified) is $ 56,372.
To be considered as a Counselor I (Trainee), individuals must have a bachelor’s degree in a human services or related field and applicable work experience. An individual hired as a Counselor Trainee will be required to sign a Conditions of Employment and must already be enrolled in a program to obtain a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or must enroll within six months of being hired in an academic program to obtain a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or a closely related field.
Minimum Qualifications:
In accordance with 34 CFR 361.10, 34 CFR 361.11, and Virginia’s Combined State Plan under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), applicants are required to have a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field. Applicants within a semester of completing their master's may also be considered. Transcripts must accompany the application, and they must display the date that the degree was awarded.
Knowledge/Experience:
Skills/Abilities:
Additional Considerations:
Special Instructions:
Master’s or bachelor's level transcripts or copy of current certification, if applicable, must accompany the application. Please note that the transcripts must display the date that the degree was awarded. Copies of degree are not accepted in lieu of the above
Master’s or bachelor's level transcripts or copy of current certification, if applicable, must accompany the application. Please note that the transcripts must display the date that the degree was awarded.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact recruitment@dars.virginia.gov for assistance.
Minorities, Individuals with disabilities, Veterans, Americorp, Peace Corps, and other National Service Alumni are encouraged to apply.
To Apply:
Equal Opportunity Employer State applications will only be accepted as submitted online by 11:55 p.m. on the closing date through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s New Recruitment Management System. Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered applications and/or résumés will not be accepted. PageUp will provide you with a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
Contact Information:
Name: Human Resources
Email: Recruitment@dars.virginia.gov
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. It was the 10th state to be admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788. Home to approximately 8 million residents, Virginia is the 12th most populous state in the United States. The capital is Richmond, and its most populous city is Virginia Beach.
The narrative history of the Commonwealth of Virginia often begins with the founding of Jamestown in 1607, near what is now modern day Williamsburg, Virginia. Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in the New World, and the Virginia General Assembly, established on July 30, 1619, is now recognized as the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere. When Virginia became a royal colony in 1624, the robust tobacco trade that had been developing in Virginia helped establish the American colonies as a powerful economic force. During the American Revolution, Virginia witnessed the final surrender of British forces at Yorktown and later became known as the birthplace of many revolution-era figures and future American presidents, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. To date, 8 United States presidents have been born in Virginia, more than in any other state.
The modern government of Virginia is nearly identical in structure to the federal government, and is divided into 3 branches, these being the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. The Virginia General Assembly is comprised of the 100-member House of Delegates and the 40-member Senate. A governor and lieutenant governor are elected every 4 years. Governors cannot be elected to or serve consecutive terms. Virginia’s judicial system consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Circuit Courts, and the lower General District Courts and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. Virginia has 13 electoral votes in presidential elections, and possesses 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
