Position Information

NY HELPNo

AgencyEducation Department, State

TitleAssociate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, (Open to current NYS Employees only), Box OSEA-317/40280

Occupational CategoryNo Preference

Salary Grade25

Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)

Salary RangeFrom $96336 to $121413 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Permanent

Jurisdictional Class Competitive Class

Travel Percentage 30%

Schedule

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 37.5

Workday

From 9 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? Yes

Location

County Albany

Street Address Office of Special Education and ACCES

VR Albany District Office

City Albany

StateNY

Zip Code12234

Job Specifics

Duties Description The New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Office of Special Education and Access (OSEA) is seeking candidates for an Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position in the VR Albany District Office. This office is responsible for ensuring consumers receive quality VR services which are provided within the parameters of federal, State and SED regulations. Duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Review and analyze data reports to identify problems and highlight relevant issues and concerns, and propose solutions to management;
• Determine compliance of VR policies and procedures and provide technical assistance and guidance to the central and district office staff as needed for consistent implementation of policy and procedures;
• Act as a liaison to coordinate with various SED department areas related to the needs of Central Office and District Offices;
• Respond to questions from staff, customers, stakeholders and vendors regarding policy, procedures and contractual requirements;
• Handle customer and vendor complaint inquiries, including reviewing the case and conferring with the District Office as needed;
• Oversee the VR case management system, ensuring federal and state regulations and VR policy and procedures are maintained;
• Participate in or oversee completion of special projects.

Minimum Qualifications Reassignment: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service as an Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.

Eligible List Appointment: Candidates must be reachable on the Civil Service eligible list for this title. If you are on the Civil Service eligible list for this title, you may receive a canvass letter. You must complete and return it as instructed on the letter.


Section 52.6 Transfer: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55 b/c service in a title allocated at salary grade 23 or higher and deemed eligible for transfer under Section 52.6 of the Civil Service Law. Candidates must also possess a current Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) credential as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), OR a Master’s or Doctoral degree in counseling or rehabilitation counseling, including a supervised 600-hour internship in rehabilitation counseling from a Council on Rehabilitation Education accredited program or Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs accredited program, OR a Master's or Doctoral degree in a related field of study* as determined by the CRCC AND eligibility to sit for the CRC certificate examination to qualify for transfer.

**Related fields of study include the following: addictions counseling, behavioral health, behavioral science, blindness rehabilitation, child/family studies, communication disorders, counseling, counseling psychology, deaf education, disability studies, educational psychology, guidance and counseling, health services, health studies, human development, human relations, human resources, human services, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, rehabilitation services, school counseling, school psychology, social work, special education, substance use disorders, counseling, vision rehabilitation studies, vocational assessment, and vocational evaluation.


Provisional Appointment: In the absence of an eligible list with three or more candidates willing to accept a position, a temporary provisional appointment may be considered. For provisional appointment, candidates must be a qualified employee of New York State and have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service as a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor or Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Manual Communications). Provisional candidates must take the examination for Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor when it is next offered and must be reachable on the resulting eligible list to maintain employment.
position, a temporary provisional appointment may be considered.

Employees of ACCES-VR who are currently in an Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position and are interested in transferring to the location indicated on this flyer MUST apply for the position as outlined in the Application section of this flyer.

Additional Comments CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

This will be a permanent competitive or temporary provisional appointment. Provisional candidates must take the examination for Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor when it is next offered and must be reachable on the resulting eligible list to maintain employment. Promotions and transfers may change appointees’ negotiating unit. Candidates should be aware that changes in negotiating units may affect their salary, insurance, and other benefits. Verification of a current CRCC credential as a CRC, or a Master’s or Doctoral degree in counseling or rehabilitation counseling, including a supervised 600-hour internship in rehabilitation counseling from a Council on Rehabilitation Education accredited program or Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs accredited program, or a Master's or Doctoral degree in a related field of study* as determined by the CRCC and eligibility to sit for the CRC certificate examination will be required for transfer candidates. This position allows for the opportunity to telecommute up to 30% each bi-weekly pay period at the discretion of the unit supervisor. This position will require 30% in-state travel.

Federal law may impose additional requirements or restrictions regarding positions that receive federal funding.

This position leads to a maximum salary of $121,413 based on annual performance advances. For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts.

Based on this position’s location, in addition to the listed base salary, this position also receives a $4,000 Downstate Adjustment.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

How to Apply

Name Office of Human Resources Management

Telephone (518) 474-5215

Fax (518) 486-5631

Email Address oseajobs@nysed.gov

Address

Street NYS Education Department

89 Washington Avenue, OHRM, Room 528 EB

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12234

 

Notes on ApplyingQualified candidates should send a resume and letter of interest by July 1, 2026 to oseajobs@nysed.gov (email submissions are preferred). Your resume must clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for this position. You must include the Box number (OSEA-317/40280) of the position in the subject line of your email and cover letter to ensure receipt of your application. Your social security number may be required to confirm your eligibility.

New York State Education Department (NYSED) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NYS Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic violence victim status, gender identity, prior conviction records, prior arrests, youthful offender adjudications, or sealed records.

Interested in a job with New York State, but don’t know where to start?

Visit these links for information on working for New York State:
• https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/
• https://www.cs.ny.gov/pio/publications/gettingajob.pdf

Generous benefits of working for New York State, including, but not limited to, the following:

Holiday & Paid Time Off
• Thirteen (13) paid holidays annually.
• Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave in year one, increasing to 20+ days with additional years of service.
• Five (5) days of paid personal leave annually.
• Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave annually for PEF/CSEA and eight (8) days paid sick leave annually for M/C.
• Annual professional leave and educational leave opportunities for eligible staff.

Health Care Benefits
• Eligible employees and dependents can choose from a variety of affordable and generous health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.

Additional Benefits
• Enrollment in the New York State pension system which has earned the distinction of being one of the best-managed and best-funded plans in the nation OR Optional Retirement Defined Contribution Plan with 8% salary match (eligibility requirements apply).
• NYS Deferred Compensation and an exclusive 403(b) Optional Retirement Savings Plan.
• Paid Parental Leave for all employees and Paid Family Leave (M/C Only).
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
• Eligibility for various life insurance options.


New York State Education Department
Box OSEA-317/40280
89 Washington Avenue, Room 528 EB
Albany, New York 12234
Fax: (518) 486-5631
E-mail: oseajobs@nysed.gov