Requisition No: 877962 

Agency: Department of Education

Working Title: DOE/VR SENIOR VOCATIONAL REHAB COUNSELOR - 48004380

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 48004380 

Salary:  $3,986.67 Monthly 

Posting Closing Date: 07/01/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Florida Department of Education

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Location: Sarasota, Florida

Position Title: Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (CS)

Salary Range: $47,840.00 - $57,408.00 Annually

CANDIDATES ARE TYPICALLY HIRED AT THE MINIMUM SALARY

This advertisement may be used to fill multiple vacancies up to six months.

APPLICATION INFORMATION & HIRING REQUIREMENTS

Application Information:

• Your Candidate Profile (application) must be complete in its entirety.
• Work History (in easy to review chronological order) Consists of:

• • Any position held by a State of Florida Agency
  • Any position held by a Florida University
  • All periods of employment from high school graduation
  • All periods of current or prior unemployment
  • Gaps 3 months or more must be accounted for*
  • Any Education
  • Any Volunteer Experience
  • Your resume and application must match
• *Gaps 3 months or more must be addressed – you will need to account for and explain any gaps in employment including unemployment. You can either list these in your application under Period of Employment or attach a word document listing your gaps.
• It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history. Your candidate profile will be converted to your official application.
• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for reference checks or the contact information for your Human Resources office to verify current or former employment.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.  

Hiring Information and Requirements:

• The Bureau of Personnel Management reviews every application for prior State of Florida and Florida University work history in the People First system.

• If claiming Veteran’s Preference, the candidate MUST attach supporting documentation such as the DD214 and your VA Letter that reflects level of disability if applicable. Applicable to career service positions only.
• If claiming Right to First Interview, the candidate MUST attach a copy of your official layoff letter when applying. This only applies to employees laid off from Career Service positions. Applicable to career service positions only.

If you are missing any of the items above, your packet may be held up at the final review step.

NOTE: Responses to qualifying questions must be clearly supported by the state application and any omission, falsification, or misrepresentation in the answering of the qualifying questions will be cause for immediate elimination from the selection process.

OFFICE CONTACT:

Julie Berroyer-Perrini: 941-359-7812

JOB DESCRIPTION:

This position is responsible for providing independent professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities in order that they may attain employment; providing and coordinating complex services; and providing technical assistance on vocational rehabilitation issues to internal and external customers. The incumbent in this position will access client information, maintain case records, produce correspondence, and perform other automated functions within the scope of the positions responsibilities.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

(Note: The omission of specific job duties does not preclude management from assigning specific duties not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment to the position.)

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has an open position that is responsible for executing the following functions:

• Assesses medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility for services.
• Provides technical assistance to internal and external customers.
• Develops and implements with full participation of the customer with a disability, and Individual Plan for Employment to determine employment outcomes.
• Provides professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities who require complex vocational rehabilitation strategies in order that they may attain appropriate employment outcomes.
• Provides information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices regarding services, service providers and employment outcomes.
• Authorizes, coordinates and/or negotiates services leading to successful employment outcomes.
• Negotiates with individuals with disabilities regarding plan development.
• Devises job placement opportunities through job placement activities, including job analysis, job development, and labor market information to assist individuals with disabilities to obtain appropriate employment outcomes.
• Develops employer contacts and serves as liaison with employers.
• Utilizes the resources of community rehabilitation providers in securing appropriate job placement for eligible individuals with disabilities.
• Coordinates or collaborates with others in other placement activities.
• Provides technical assistance to internal and external customers.
• Conducts in-depth  interviews of individuals with disabilities requiring complex rehabilitation strategies to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and the feasibility for achieving a vocational goal.
• Manages resources to ensure financial accountability according to state and federal regulations and policies.
• Collaborates with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources.
• Provides technical assistance and specialized training to internal customers.
• Participates in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation.
• Performs related work as necessary.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the theories and practices in vocational rehabilitation guidance and counseling.
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques.
• Knowledge of medical and psychological aspects of disability groups.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of effective communication.
• Knowledge of employment resources and vocational rehabilitation resources.
• Knowledge of methods of compiling, organizing and analyzing data.
• Skills in communicating in both English and Spanish.
• Ability to compile, organize and analyze medical, vocational and psychological data.
• Ability to administer tests and analyze results.
• Ability to provide counseling and guidance in the area of career planning.
• Ability to develop individual vocational rehabilitation programs and place clients in appropriate vocation.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

The ideal incumbent must be productive under tight timeframes, balance multiple and competing priorities, and maintain goal-directed behavior and performance sometimes under stressful conditions. The incumbent must interact courteously with others. The performance and behavior of all employees must demonstrate consideration of the workload concerns of others and must not negatively affect productivity and morale of the unit. Attendance is an essential function.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Required Licensure/Registration/Certification/Experience or Education:

• Four (4) years of experience working with individuals with disabilities in advocacy and/or employment-related fields
• Being able to meet the federal requirements for this federally funded position which includes:
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field of study reasonably related to vocational rehabilitation, to indicate a level of competency and skill demonstrating basic preparation in a field of study such as:
    • Vocational rehabilitation counseling
    • Psychology
    • Business administration
    • Human resources
    • Special education
    • Supported employment
    • Customized employment
    • Economics
    • Another field that reasonably prepares individuals to work with consumers and employers.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferences will be given to:

• Applicants who meet both the professional and educational experience.
• Applicants who have direct experience in Case Management and Job Placement.
• Applicants who have a master’s or doctoral degree and one (1) year of professional experience.
• Applicants who complete application information and hire requirements listed in the advertisement to completion.

DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION MISSION STATEMENT:

To help people with disabilities find and maintain employment and enhance their independence.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a federal-state program that helps people who have physical and mental disabilities get or keep a job. VR is committed to helping people with disabilities find meaningful careers.

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Website

WORKING FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS BENEFITS!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

LEAVE INFORMATION: (CS)

• Annual Leave - All full-time Career Service employees filling established positions earn annual leave in varying increments dependent upon years of creditable service. Employees with up to 5 years of creditable service earn 8.667 hours per month, with 5 to 10 years earn 10.833 hours per month and those with over 10 years of service earn 13 hours per month. Employees in Senior Management Service and Selected Exempt Service positions are credited with 176 hours of annual leave upon appointment. In subsequent years, the annual allotment is credited on the anniversary date of the initial appointment.
• Sick Leave -. Career Service employees earn 8.667 hours of sick leave credits per month

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Education that applicants for employment/volunteer undergo Level 2 background screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer. You will be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. No applicant for a designated position will be employed, contracted or permitted to volunteer until the level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Department. Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, finger printing for all purposes and checks under this requirement, statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, federal criminal records check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local criminal records checks through local law enforcement.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM (SSS) AND REQUIREMENT

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Other Personal Services (OPS) or Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. 

For more information, please visit the Selective Service website.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.