Emergency Management Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/02/2026. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education ss described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working in a healthcare/medical environment preparing for, carrying out, and coordinating emergency management functions; Collaborating with various agencies (government and non-government) to aid victims suffering from injury or damage resulting from disaster caused by natural or man-made hazards; Utilizing and following emergency management related regulations, directives, and requirements to facilitate appropriate response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters; Determining medical facility capabilities to meet patient demands and site-specific needs during emergency situations; Providing and applying recommendations to assist staff in developing plans and programs to manage emergency situations; and Determining alternative care sites for patients at medical facilities with unique medical problems or those impacted by emergency/disaster incidents.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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.

01Preferred Experience

At least one year of specialized experience in: Leading emergency preparedness and continuity programs. Coordinating multi-facility or multi-organizational emergency operations including but not limited to incident management activities, emergency operations centers, incident command structures, resource coordination efforts, or continuity-related operations during emergencies or disruptions.

Conducting risk, vulnerability, capability, readiness, and operational assessments and using findings to recommend corrective actions and program improvements. Developing, maintaining, and assessing emergency operations plans, continuity plans, procedures, and readiness programs to support organizational resilience and mission continuity.

Planning, conducting, evaluating or supporting emergency management exercises, training program, after-action reviews, and corrective action programs designed to improve organizational readiness. Advising senior leadership on emergency management, healthcare continuity, operational readiness, resource requirements, risk management issues Coordinating with Federal, State, Local and Private-sector partners during preparedness, response, and recovery during emergency management activities.

02Physical Requirements

The work is mostly sedentary although some physical effort may be required to meet fieldwork requirements, such as lifting 50 pounds, moving, pushing, etc. During emergency events, the employee would be expected to work significant extended hours under very austere conditions. The work is generally performed in an office setting but emergency incidents, training, and exercise events may require prolonged duty days and/or work to be conducted under austere field conditions. The position may require frequent travel.

All positions subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations 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 may occur with little advanced notice and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

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/.

Location Clarification: This job is open to candidates who reside and/or intend to reside with a 50-mile radius of a facility located within Health System Area (HSA) 5.2 and 5.5 catchment area: American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, and Northern Marina Islands. Major duties and responsibilities for the position include but are not limited to: Applies specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities particular to a healthcare system environment including methods to support emergency planning and operations.

Provides operational support and expertise to management through evaluative, analytical, coordination, planning, administrative, developmental, interpretive, and judgmental methodologies.

Coordinates HSA emergency management activities that require a high level of judgment and ability including assuming responsibility for planning, implementing and coordinating emergency response and recovery actions for VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), Community Living Centers (CLCs), Domiciliary Units, Outpatient Clinics (OPCs), Healthcare Centers (HCC), and Community Based Outpatient Clinics(CBOCs). Produces pertinent and informative management reports, demonstrating effective practices in problem resolution.

Ensures emergency operations and support activities are monitored to expedite return to readiness whenever there is a loss of operational capabilities from any of the Network facilities or catchment areas. Provides technical assistance, guidance, and coordination on emergency medical preparedness programs for all HSA medical facilities and catchment areas.

Employs considerable knowledge of healthcare facility operations and emergency operations supporting federal, state, and local entities within the geographical boundaries of the HSA . Fulfills program responsibilities and coordinates network programs with senior management officials at VA Headquarters, Health System Area medical facilities, other federal departments/agencies, state government, and local communities where VA facilities are located.

Manages and coordinates all aspects of the HSA Emergency Management Coordination Center (EMCC) and organizes network emergency management support activities as necessary including developing a HSA Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) which meets contingency requirements. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Ad-hoc only.

Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD00021VS Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized: PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.