Emergency Management Specialist

National Institutes of Health; Maryland; Remote; USD 71,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

National Institutes of Health in Montgomery County, Maryland, seeks an experienced Emergency Management Specialist to lead planning and readiness efforts across NIH facilities. The role focuses on COOP planning, incident response and interagency coordination to safeguard personnel and research operations.

Responsibilities include developing facility-wide emergency plans, coordinating resources, leading readiness exercises, and maintaining communications monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Develops emergency plans for all NIH facilities.
• Develops plans for recovery of NIH Mission Essential Functions within the COOP scope.
• Provides operational coordination to ensure COOP centers, relocation sites, communication sites and equipment remain operational.
• Coordinates NIH resources for planning and preparedness; represents NIH at meetings and with agencies.
• Collaborates with senior managers and program managers to formulate response and recovery plans and exercises.
• Serves as planner and observer for NIH readiness exercises sponsored by NIH and partners.
• Participates in policy/objectives standards and procedures for local/state/federal emergency planning and response.
• Leads NIH readiness exercises with agencies like FEMA, DoD and PHS; prepares incident-based responses.
• Maintains a continuous watch for emergency notifications and alerts; advises senior management on actions.

Job description

• Hiring Agency: National Institutes of Health
• Department: Department of Health and Human Services
• Location: Montgomery County, Maryland
• Hiring Path: Fed Transition
• Number of Openings: 1
• Security Clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information

If you are an exceptionally talented, knowledgeable and motivated individual with experience in managing emergency preparedness activities and developing strategic emergency preparedness plans, and want to play a significant role in a dynamic organization, then consider joining the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) team.

Key Responsibilities

If selected for this position as a GS-0089-9/11/12 Emergency Management Specialist your duties may include, but are not limited to the following: Develops emergency plans for all NIH facilities. Develops plans for the recovery of NIH Mission Essential Functions within the scope of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Program. Provides operational coordination to ensure all COOP centers, relocation sites, communication sites and equipment are continually operational.

Serves as an emergency planning resource for the NIH and is responsible for coordinating NIH resources essential to planning and preparedness functions. Represents the NIH at meetings, conferences, and working groups with local, state, Federal organizations and coordinates NIH activities required by these groups.

Collaborates with senior managers in the Office of Research Services and program managers of other relevant NIH components, in formulating emergency response and recovery plans relative to or involving their program objectives and developing response and recovery plans and exercises to test their adequacy and readiness. Serves as planner and observer for readiness exercises sponsored by NIH.

Participates in the development of policies, objectives, standards, and procedures concerning local, state and federal emergency planning and response to improve effectiveness, meet information needs of managers or to address other emergency management improvement concerns.

Leads the NIH in readiness exercises conducted or sponsored by local, State, and/or Federal Public Health Service (PHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Defense (DoD), etc.) agencies. Prepares responses based on the type of incident (e.g., radiation, chemical, biological, environmental, etc.). Maintains a continuous communications watch for receipt of emergency notifications, alerting instructions, or other vital messages.

Remains alert for communications pertaining to any emergency which may be of vital interest to NIH components. Evaluates such information and decides whether senior NIH management should be advised on actions to be taken to ensure safety of personnel, property, research animals and projects (e.g., severe weather, local or regional disasters, National crises, etc.).

Requirements & Education

If you qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application packages. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $70623 – $133142/yr.

Is this position remote or telework eligible?

This position is eligible for telework.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-02.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.