Summary The Emergency Management Specialist (Assistant) is located within each VAMC and reports to the Emergency Management Specialist (EMS). The position of an Emergency Management Specialist Assistant (EMSA) provides the health care system in sustaining national and regional support to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program. Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities include: Provides support for the medical center emergency management assessments, operations, planning, liaison, mission activities and functions Assists in the development and implementation of Emergency Management protocols and methods Ensures that training and operations requirements are fully integrated, coordinated, and in compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements Assists in implementing workforce goals Coordinate's personnel resources, to include periods of activation Prepares draft annual report and budgets for programs Analyzes and evaluates, on a quantitative and qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs and operations in meeting established goals and objectives Works with the Emergency Management manager to review, analyze and coordinate the implementation and evaluation of exercises to test and critique comprehensive emergency management plans and programs Serves as a facility evaluator during emergency management exercise scenarios Works with emergency management and community partners to perform hazard vulnerability analysis designed to assess the risks that have the potential to interrupt the continuity of critical operations Assists in developing and implementing a variety of emergency management guidelines and structures for general and specific operations including contingency plans and the continuity of operations In the absence of the Emergency Management manager, supports and provides advice and guidance on all aspects of emergency management Maintains databases and resource requirements Manages and coordinates the procurement, mobilization, utilization and demobilization of resources and assets Provides assistance in coordination of various program offices, to include the Safety Officer, Industrial Hygienist, Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Coordinator, Decontamination Triage Leader, Decontamination Entry Team Leader, Decontamination Site Access Control Unit Leader and Decontamination Logistics Officer Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00 am - 4:30 pm Work Schedule: Position is subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support with little advanced notice and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions. Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD99788S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job You may be required to serve a probationary/trial period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/26/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this Emergency Management Specialist - Facility Assistant, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience in emergency management where you applied your knowledge of the laws, guidelines and policies governing various emergency management programs and operations to assist in developing, executing, and analyzing a comprehensive emergency management program; applying data analytical and evaluation methods to determine program compliance with emergency preparedness and management rules and regulations; and applying a working knowledge of a variety of emergency, contingency and operations plans, policies, and directives to provide advice and assistance. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this Emergency Management Specialist - Facility Assistant. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education (above a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above, which meet the total requirements for this grade level. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. License Requirement: A current valid state driver's license is required. Note: We cannot accept photographs. Therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide your driver's license for verification of required endorsements. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical Reasoning Communication Emergency Management Incident Management Planning and Evaluating Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary during non-emergency situations. However, participation in field exercises and operational support missions may require strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distance, climbing, working long hours, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. May include various housing and living conditions to include non-climate controlled, limited privacy sleeping facilities (for example, cots, tents, "hot bunking", gymnasiums, or similar), limited shower and laundry facilities, and limited feeding options (such as shelf-stable meals, meals-ready-to-eat (MRE's), and field kitchens). The incumbent must have and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license. During emergency situations the incumbent may be required to remain available 24 hours per day, seven days per week for multiple weeks. Incumbent is subject to work under emergency notifications and contact procedures. EMS will be provided and must carry a government provided mobile communication device. Working Environment: The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office; however, the incumbent may be required to work in a warehouse and store emergency management equipment in outdoor storage facility and indoor storage rooms. Incumbent will support site visits to all outpatient clinics to perform hazard vulnerability analysis, conduct drills, conduct training and any other comprehensive emergency management implementation. Environment may be subject to adverse weather to include wind, precipitation, temperature and humidity extremes. Protective gear (gloves, hard hats, hearing protections, and similar) and adherence to safety precautions may be required. Travel within the United States may be required. Incumbent must be able to travel by motor vehicle, train, boat and, aircraft. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
