Emergency Management Specialist

Summary

This position is located in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), Physical Security in Manhattan, KS. The incumbent assists the Emergency Manager with the development, coordination, execution, and evaluation of NBAF's training and exercise program in alignment with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) standards. USDA employees: Please refer to the Next Steps section.

Duties

• Ensures staff is trained and able to execute functions related to the continuation of operations.
• Independently authors assigned formal After Action Reviews (AARs) for all exercises, drills, real-world incidents, and readiness activities, synthesizing cross-functional observations into actionable findings.
• Assists the Emergency Manager in coordinating, developing, exercising and revising the Emergency Plans, Policies, and Procedures (PPPs).
• Oversees technical and administrative updates to emergency plans, annexes, and SOPs in accordance with Emergency Management Plan (EMP).

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below Time in Grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. GS-09 Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting with developing, updating, or implementing emergency management, continuity, preparedness, or incident response plans; supporting emergency training, drills, exercises, or readiness activities; and gathering, analyzing, and communicating information through reports, briefings, or program records to support emergency management operations. OR Education: Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above GS-11 Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience developing, coordinating, or evaluating emergency management, continuity, preparedness, or incident response programs and plans; planning, conducting, and evaluating emergency exercises, training programs, drills, or after-action reviews and implement corrective actions; and analyzing emergency management requirements and providing recommendations, briefings, or reports to improve organizational readiness and compliance. OR Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or successful completion of 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a degree or LL.M if related. OR A combination of Ph.D. education and specialized experience as described above. 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; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use. Physical Demands Work includes office activities but requires moderate physical exertion during exercises, field deployments, and training setups. Activities may include lifting equipment, moving materials, or standing for prolonged periods. Work Environment The work is performed in an office setting, infectious diseases laboratories, and as required, indoor animal holding facilities, necropsy rooms, insectaries and building mechanical spaces invol…

Education

Qualifications Section Continued Personal Protective Equipment Risk is reduced but cannot be eliminated with special safety precautions. Use of Safety protocols and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as respirators, disposable personal protective clothing, and eye protection, are used as needed. PPE is dependent upon the work performed and the laboratory space in which the work is performed. The incumbent is required to wear tight-fitting respirator when working in biological control areas; facial hair restrictions are to comply with proper operation of personal protective equipment. Approval to use a respirator requires a medical evaluation and fit test. Decontamination/Body Requirements The incumbent must have the ability to take a full-body shower with soap and shampoo one or more times per day without assistance. The incumbent must not have a skin condition which would prevent daily showering. Jewelry of any kind is not permitted inside containment. Body jewelry in piercings must have the ability to be removed prior to entering biocontainment or the piercing and jewelry must be completely sealed off from the working environment to protect the individual from contamination. No unhealed piercings are permitted inside biocontainment. External medical devices may not be permitted. External medical devices must have the ability to be removed prior to entering biocontainment or be sealed off from the working environment to protect the individual from contamination. Facial hair restriction are required to ensure the proper fit of tight-fitting respirators. Personal Recognizance Quarantine (PRQ) Due to the contagious nature to livestock of Foot-and-Mouth disease, and other diseases under study at NBAF, Select Agent Regulations specify a personal quarantine for the incumbent entering biocontainment. As a condition of employment, all personnel entering biocontainment facilities at NBAF must not be in contact with specific susceptible animals for a period of…