Agency: DBVI
Agency Title: Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired
Role Title: Architect/Engineer I
Work Title: Rehab Engineer
Position #: 00294
Location: Fairfax
Open To: General Public
Pay Band: 5 ($43,790 - $109,280)
Hiring Range: Negotiable based upon qualifications and salary history
Close Date: Open until filled
Comments: The Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) is the Commonwealth's agency solely dedicated to empowering individuals who are blind, vision impaired, and deafblind to achieve their maximum level of employment, education, and personal independence. DBVI services include vocational rehabilitation, education, independent living skills, orientation and mobility, deafblind services and a comprehensive statewide low vision program. The agency also operates the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired, (a residential training facility), a Library and Resource Center that provides library services and produces and distributes educational materials in alternative media, the Virginia Industries for the Blind, and the Randolph-Sheppard vending facility program. DBVI employees embody the values of integrity, honesty and teamwork, ensuring respect for customers and supporting personal choice. The DBVI - Fairfax Regional Office seeks a qualified applicant to provide complete and thorough evaluations of the assistive technology needs of persons with visual impairments or who are blind, including persons with multiple disabilities, and to provide technical assistance in the area of specialized computer hardware and software.
Responsibilities: You will conduct extensive customer evaluations, developing conceptual solutions and transferring these solutions into effective workstation design or restructuring; provide customer-specific evaluations for job-related needs of customers referred by field staff; travel to customer work sites and/or homes to conduct evaluations and makes recommendations to field staff for specific equipment to meet customer requirements; complete detailed written evaluation report on each customer for referring staff to identify and justify recommended equipment; install appropriate solutions to meet customer needs; provide on-site technical support/training and troubleshooting when needed, telephone and email support where appropriate and make any modifications to the technology necessary to ensure operation at maximum potential and benefit to the customer; researches new adaptive devices and technology to remain current on the emerging equipment, techniques and trends; maintain up-to-date knowledge of commonly used computer operating systems and best techniques for adapting those systems to provide equal access to blind persons.
Qualifications:
* Knowledge of engineering techniques as applied to the design and uses of adaptive aids and equipment.
* Skill to analyze and solve complex customer problems related to adaptive aids and appliances with the ability to design and/or select the proper equipment depending on a specific customer need.
* Ability to direct the installation and use of adaptive equipment for the blind and vision impaired.
* Ability to troubleshoot assistive technology and operational problems; and modify/repair system to meet customer requirements.
* College or university degree with course work in an engineering discipline, preferably rehabilitation engineering or equivalent directly related experience preferred.
* Combination of education and directly related experience in engineering techniques and uses of adaptive aids and appliances for the vision impaired with special knowledge of computer related adaptation.
* Experience working with individuals with various disabilities preferred.
* Excellent interpersonal and communication (oral/written) skills.
Successful completion of fingerprinting and criminal background check required. Annual completion of Statement of Economic Interests form required. Salary is negotiable above the minimum of the pay band based on qualifications and salary history.
Contact Information: Applications are required! The Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired ONLY accepts fully completed online applications for all employment opportunities. Online application and job listings are located at http://jobs.agencies.virginia.gov/. Resumes may NOT be substituted for State applications.
Don't have a computer? Internet access may be available to you through your local library, Virginia Employment Commission office, and in the Department of Human Resource Management's Career Center.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 804-726-1919 for assistance. Minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TTY.