Emergency Management Watch Officer

Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); On-site; USD 61,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free on-site parking

Job summary

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania seeks an Emergency Management Watch Officer for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. You will monitor incidents, analyze information, and support statewide response efforts from the Emergency Management Commonwealth Watch Warning Center.

This full-time role operates on a night schedule, 8:00 PM to 9:00 AM, with on-site work and no telework, requiring strong communication and quick decision-making to keep the Commonwealth safe.

Qualifications

• Three years of emergency coordination experience within the operation of a large municipal, county, statewide or national emergency center; and an associate degree in emergency management or other closely related field.
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Responsibilities

• Incident Monitoring: Track emergency reports, media sources, and partner updates to maintain situational awareness
• Information Analysis: Evaluate incoming data and determine appropriate actions or notifications
• Communication Support: Relay critical information to agencies, officials, and emergency partners
• System Operation: Use communication tools, radios, and software platforms to process alerts and messages
• Documentation Tasks: Maintain logs, prepare reports, and organize data for briefings
• Coordination Efforts: Assist in response planning and resource identification during emergencies

Skills

Emergency coordination

Information analysis

Communication skills

Education

Associates degree in emergency management

Job description

Salary: $60,538.00 - $92,010.00 Annually

Location: Dauphin County, PA

Job Type: Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number: CS-2026-58179-76197

Department: Emergency Management Agency

Division: EM Cmwl Wch Wrng Ctr

Opening Date: 09/15/2026

Closing Date: 9/29/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code: 76197

Position Number: 00128307

Union: FOP - Lodge #92

Bargaining Unit: G4

Pay Group: ST07

Bureau / Division Code: 00310721

Bureau / Division: Emergency Management Commonwealth Watch Warning Center

Worksite Address: 1310 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110

Contact Name: Luke Dugan

Contact Email: [e-mail]

Position

Step into a fast-paced and impactful position as an Emergency Management Watch Officer with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Each day brings new challenges that require strong focus, clear communication, and quick thinking. You will play a key role in tracking incidents, sharing important information and supporting response efforts. Be part of a mission that helps keep the Commonwealth safe and informed.

Description of Work

This position gathers, analyzes, and shares emergency information to support statewide awareness, response, and coordination efforts. As an Emergency Management Watch Officer, you will perform the following duties:

• Incident Monitoring: Track emergency reports, media sources, and partner updates to maintain situational awareness
• Information Analysis: Evaluate incoming data and determine appropriate actions or notifications
• Communication Support: Relay critical information to agencies, officials, and emergency partners
• System Operation: Use communication tools, radios, and software platforms to process alerts and messages
• Documentation Tasks: Maintain logs, prepare reports, and organize data for briefings
• Coordination Efforts: Assist in response planning and resource identification during emergencies

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• FREE on-site parking
• Full-time employment,
• Work hours are 8:00 PM to 9:00 AM, with a 30-minute lunch. Will work (3) 12.5 hour days per week.
• In the event of an emergency/disaster situation or training exercise, this position may be required to travel and work outside of the normal work hours, including weekends and overnights.
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $60,538 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

Required Experience, Training & Eligibility

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Three years of emergency coordination experience within the operation of a large municipal, county, statewide or national emergency center; and an associate degree in emergency management or other closely related field; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Other Requirements:

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

Examination Information

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.