Job Description
PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Job ID: 36180
Agency: Department of Human Services - Service to the Blind & Visually Impaired
Location: Aberdeen and Rapid City, SD
Salary: $25.02 Hourly, depending on qualifications
Pay Grade: H
Closing Date: 6/11/26
This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Human Services - Service to the Blind & Visually Impaired. For more information on the Department of Human Services, please visit https://dhs.sd.gov/ .
Summary:
See What You Can Do!
Service to the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI) is hiring two Rehabilitation Teachers for our Independent Living Blind Program, with one position based in Aberdeen and one in Rapid City. If you are a human services professional, social worker, educator, or nurse who has spent years helping people navigate the hard moments of life and are ready for a role where your relationship skills, teaching instincts, and problem-solving matter every single day, keep reading!
A Rehabilitation Teacher teaches adults experiencing vision loss how to live safely and with confidence in their own homes and communities one lesson at a time. As an SBVI Rehabilitation Teacher, you will carry a caseload across a rural territory conducting functional vision assessments, building individualized training plans, and providing direct instruction on skills that matter the most to each person. You will not restore sight, but you will help people reclaim their routines, their independence, and, most importantly, their sense of self.
SBVI Rehabilitation Teachers have the autonomy to structure their schedules around their client's needs and availability, travel distances, and service priorities within a standard work week. This kind of flexibility requires accountability, discipline, and consistent follow-through both in the field and at the desk. Travel is expected two to three days per week, and overnight travel can be expected to meet your caseload demands and professional development opportunities. The Rehabilitation Teachers who thrive in their roles are curious, organized, and deeply motivated by the one-on-one work of changing someone's life. They understand that the hard conversations about realistic goals are just as important as the warm welcome at the door.
SBVI Rehabilitation Teachers receive structured onboarding, training in Skills of Blindness, and consistent support. You do not need to know everything on day one. You need to be someone who is willing to learn, ask questions, and bring your whole professional self to the people who are counting on you.
Typical office setting with weekly travel throughout Rapid City and the northwestern counties of South Dakota, or Aberdeen and the northeastern counties of South Dakota. Applicants should anticipate 2-3 days a week traveling in their assigned territories. Expect some overnights based on case load and professional development opportunities.
The State of South Dakota offers a competitive benefits package for employees, including:
- 15 days/120 Hours of Vacation Leave
- 14 days/112 Hours of Sick Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays
- Employee health insurance includes a $0 premium plan for employee-only coverage
- Flexible Benefits include Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Critical Illness and more
- Paid Parental & Family Medical Leave
- 6% Fully Matched Retirement Plan
- Reduced Tuition for In-State Colleges/Universities
- Employee Wellness Programs
- Continued Education/Training Opportunities
The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
- A bachelor's degree in a human services related field, nursing, or education is preferred. Other fields are considered based on related experience.
- Experience working with older adults, people with disabilities, or individuals navigating significant life transitions.
- High ethical standards and an understanding of client confidentiality.
- Strong instincts for problem solving and goal setting.
- Excellent organizational habits and self-direction to manage a field-based caseload without continuous, direct oversight.
- A willingness to learn about vision loss, functional skills assessments, teaching adaptive techniques, and assistive devices for daily living.
- The ability to build and sustain working relationships with community providers including county health nurses, optometrists, long-term services and support specialists, and other agencies serving the same individuals.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
Knowledge of:
- teaching, instructional, and counseling techniques applicable to adults with physical or sensory disabilities;
- compensatory strategies used to address the functional impact of vision loss;
- methods for evaluating client progress and building a path toward successful goal accomplishment;
- community-based resources available to older adults, including health, transportation, and social services;
- the social, psychological, and practical challenges facing individuals with significant disabilities, particularly older adults living in rural communities;
- medical and rehabilitation terminology relevant to vision loss and disability services.
Ability to:
- build trust quickly and meet people where they are emotionally and functionally;
- assess clients' functional limitations and translate findings into individualized, goal-driven training plans;
- provide direct skills instruction in a client's home, adapting methods to each person's abilities, goals, emotional readiness, and living situation;
- establish and sustain effective working relationships with clients, families, and community partners, including in high-stress and emotionally charged situations
- manage an independent field-based caseload within a standard work week, including scheduling, travel planning, and timely follow-through;
- maintain complete and accurate case notes and progress reports that reflect the work completed and connect directly to client goals;
- understand, interpret, and consistently apply program policies and federal regulations
- communicate clearly and professionally in writing and in person;
- demonstrate proficiency with Microsoft Office products and electronic case management systems.
Additional Requirements: To be considered, please attach your resume.
This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.
NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.
The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.
The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.
Must apply online: https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=44F
You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us
http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"
#LI-Onsite