Clarification from the agency

Status applicants (VEOA, Schedule A, VRA, Interchange Agreement, etc.)

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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 through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Position is subject to recall 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: Telework, if approved, would be on an AD-HOC basis.
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 Approved

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/10/2025.

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:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Applying pertinent laws, objectives, precedents, guidelines and policies governing various emergency management programs and operations enough to assist with development and execution of a comprehensive emergency management program. Experience with analytical and evaluation methods and thorough understanding of how regulatory programs are administered to select and apply program evaluation and measurement techniques (data gathering methodologies) in determining compliance with emergency preparedness and management rules and regulations. Experience responding quickly to emergency situations where degree of hazard could be of a high nature; applying a variety of emergency, contingency and operations plans, policies, and directives enough to provide advice and assistance. Providing guidance to a variety of stakeholders regarding the administration and/or delivery of emergency management programs. Previous experience in emergency management operations is required. Skill in applying basic data gathering methodologies to collect various types of information and knowledge of database entry programs and management. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed 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. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's degree.

Preferred Experience: Hospital Incident Command System and/or Incident Command System and/or Incident Management Team experience, practice and knowledge.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Communication
• Emergency Management
• Planning and Evaluating
• Technical Competence

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).

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.