[rehab] Blindness Skills Instructor Vacancies in New Mexico

[Salas, James, CFB]

Greetings, 

The New Mexico Commission for the Blind is recruiting for two Blindness Skills Instructors for its Independent Living Program.  One position is in the northeastern part of New Mexico (Las Vegas) and the other in the south central area of New Mexico (Las Cruces).  This job posting is open through January 12, 2013.

Blindness Skills Instructors, also known as Independent Living Teachers, carry a caseload of 40-50 consumers.  Each of these positions requires extensive travel throughout the geographic region assigned.  Teachers spend an average of 4 days a week outside the office providing instruction with one office day per week.  The actual job posting is quite lengthy and written very broadly, but the essence of the position is captured in the two paragraphs below which appear in the job posting.  
 
Position will provide blindness skills training, primarily training in orientation and mobility (cane travel), personal management, assistive technology, braille, and home management to blind individuals. This population includes both consumers served by the Independent Living Program and the Vocational Rehabilitation Program.
This individual must have the ability to instruct blind persons to safely travel using a long white cane, consisting of year round cane travel instruction in a variety of settings and on a variety of surfaces, including sidewalks, streets, intersections, parking lots, stairs, escalators, ramps, shopping malls, businesses, amusement parks, recreational facilities, public transportation, dirt paths, hiking trails, and loose or uneven terrain. Work is performed outdoors with exposure to all types of weather conditions. 20% of time will be spent in an office with exposure to Visual/Video Display Terminal (VDT) and personal computer and telephone usage. Regularly works with individuals with secondary disabilities, some of which result in challenging behaviors. Occasionally exposed to service animals. 

To reach the job posting, go to www.spo.state.nm.us, click the link to "Apply for state jobs online," check the checkbox to select jobs within the Commission for the Blind, and click on the "Apply Search" button.  

I recommend that screen reader users utilize Internet Explorer to access the online application. 

Please contact Virginia Murphy at 505-383-2202 or at Virginia.Murphy at state.nm.us if you wish further information about these positions.  She is the Deputy Director of the Independent Living Program and will be the individual reviewing the applications of those who meet the qualifications. 

Thanks.

Jim Salas
Deputy Director for VR Programs
NM Commission for the Blind