About the opportunity
The Emergency Management Specialist (Response) serves as a Watch Analyst in the Region 9 Oakland Watch Center, maintaining 24/7 situational awareness of incidents, disasters, readiness postures, and events requiring a coordinated federal response. Core duties include collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing incident information for daily briefings and situation reports, conducting operational analyses of disaster impacts and resource availability, using tools like GIS and HURREVAC, and coordinating with federal, state, local, and regional emergency management partners.
Salary and benefits
- Annual salary ranging from $111,896 to $145,468 (GS-12 level)
- Health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance
- Federal retirement plan and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with matching contributions
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Personal leave days and paid federal holidays
- Flexible work schedules, tuition reimbursement, transportation subsidies, uniform allowance, and fitness center access where available
- Disabled veteran leave for eligible employees with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more
Who can apply?
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must successfully pass and maintain a Top Secret – Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI) background investigation
- Selective Service registration required for eligible males
- Current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade (GS-11 or equivalent)
- Possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in federal, state/local government, or private sector
- Specialized experience must demonstrate performing substantive work in an Operations/Watch Center, monitoring hazards, issuing daily situational reports, and conducting mission-oriented operational analyses
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card
- Must be able to deploy with little or no advance notice to anywhere in the U.S. and its territories for extended periods
Required documents
- Resume limited to a maximum of two pages (resumes exceeding two pages or containing photos, PII, SSN, age, or medical history will be disqualified)
- Responses to the online job questionnaire
- SF-50 documentation showing competitive status and time-in-grade (for current or former federal employees)
- Notice of DRRA Eligibility issued by OCHCO (for eligible current or former FEMA Stafford Act employees)
- Supporting documentation for non-competitive hiring authorities (e.g., Schedule A, military spouse eligibility)
- ICTAP/CTAP agency notice, most recent performance rating, and SF-50 (if claiming selection priority)
- DD-214 Member Copy 4 or VOW Act certification, and disability documentation (if claiming veteran preference/eligibility)
- National Security Education Program (NSEP) certification letter (for Boren Awardees)
When to apply
- Application closes on September 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
How to apply
- Log into USAJOBS and click 'Apply Online' to access the application questionnaire
- Complete all required questionnaire items and attach supporting documents
- Submit the complete application package prior to 11:59 PM ET on September 8, 2026
- Complete the required online USA Hire Assessments within the designated deadline using the access link provided after submission
- Submit reasonable accommodation requests for assessments before starting the USA Hire tests, if applicable
- If qualified and referred, participate in required interviews and pre-employment background checks
Additional information
- Position operates on a 24/7 rotating shift schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays
- Position requires 24/7 recall availability for emergency management operations and potential travel/deployment to austere conditions
- New federal competitive service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period
- Position is subject to random drug testing under FEMA's Drug-Free Workplace Plan
- Applicants may opt-in to allow DHS to share their application materials for similar positions across the agency
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- You possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level performing substantive work in an Operations or Watch Center.
- You are comfortable maintaining 24/7 situational awareness, conducting operational analyses, and using tools like GIS and HURREVAC.
- You hold U.S. citizenship, meet the background investigation criteria, and can handle deployment with little or no advance notice.
- You are a current federal employee with 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade or qualify via an eligible non-competitive hiring authority.
What should you think carefully about?
- The role requires operating on a 24/7 rotating shift schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays, alongside potential travel to austere conditions.
- You must successfully pass and maintain a Top Secret – Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI) background investigation and obtain a Government credit card.
- Relocation to Oakland, California, is necessary if you are not already local, and you must be able to meet strict time-in-grade or specialized experience guidelines.
- Your application resume is strictly limited to a maximum of two pages, and exceeding this limit results in disqualification.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This opportunity is a strong fit for professionals aiming to advance their career in federal emergency management at the GS-12 level while earning an annual salary between $111,896 and $145,468. It suits individuals looking to build deep operational competencies within a major federal agency like FEMA, leveraging comprehensive federal benefits, tuition reimbursement, and flexible work schedules to support long-term public service goals.
Our take
U.S. citizens with solid watch center or operational analysis experience who can commit to 24/7 rotating shifts and rapid deployments should seriously consider applying before the September 8, 2026 deadline. Those unable to meet strict security clearance prerequisites, page-limit rules, or shift-work demands will find this role less suitable.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
Official-source verifiedSource: USAJOBS
