Radiological Emergency Preparedness Site Specialist (Program Planner 3)

State of Iowa - Executive Branch; Johnston (IA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

IPERS Retirement Package

RIC Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan

Health, dental, flexible spending, and

Life insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is seeking a Radiological Emergency Preparedness Site Specialist in Johnston, IA. You will lead off-site planning for REP, coordinate interagency exercises, and support state activations to strengthen Iowa’s nuclear readiness.

The role requires experience in radiological preparedness or emergency management, with strong communication and organizational skills to manage complex statewide programs and ensure FEMA/NRC compliance.

Qualifications

• Seven years of full-time work experience in administration or operation/execution of a program with oversight or guidance responsibilities.
• One year of full-time work experience in administration or operation/execution of a program, plus additional education/experience to total four years.
• Graduate-level education plus full-time experience may substitute for part of the experience requirement.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate off-site emergency planning and activities for nuclear facilities in and near Iowa.
• Assist counties with radiological emergency planning, training timelines, and EAS verification.
• Orchestrate drills, rehearsals, and training exercises with utilities, FEMA, counties, and state partners.
• Manage the statewide TLD program including vendor coordination and KI stockpiles in EPZs.
• Ensure program compliance by responding to FEMA NRC inquiries and maintaining doctrine currency.
• Serve as Operations Officer during SEOC activations and provide flexible support across HSEM response elements.

Skills

Radiological Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Management

Regulatory Compliance

Interagency Coordination

Communication Skills

Project Management

Federal Guidelines Knowledge

Job description

Job Description

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.

In the face of complex threats, Iowa relies on meticulous preparation—and that’s where you come in. Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and solution-focused professional to serve as our Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Site Specialist at our office in Johnston, IA.

In this dynamic role within our Response Division, you will serve as the primary focal point for Iowa's REP program, ensuring state agencies and local communities are thoroughly prepared for potential radiological incidents at nuclear power facilities in and around the state. Balancing high-level strategy with real-world application, you will lead off-site emergency planning, coordinate complex interagency exercises, and step-up during state activations.

This is your chance to make a direct, lasting impact on Iowa’s resilience—driving nuclear readiness and protecting communities across the state.

Who We Are

The Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s (HSEM) Mission Statement is Enhancing the quality of life for Iowans by preparing our State and building resilient communities. The person selected for this position will demonstrate actions and behaviors guided by the HSEM’s four core values:

• MISSION ORIENTED - We are resolute in our service to Iowans
• INTEGRITY - We conduct ourselves with honesty and are transparent in our actions
• DISTINGUISHED - We are leaders in our field
• ONE TEAM - We collaborate, connect, and share

What We Are Seeking

We are seeking an organized, innovative, and resilient professional who is ready to lead complex planning and foster strong interagency partnerships. Reporting to the Preparedness Bureau Chief and collaborating closely with the REP Program Manager, the ideal candidate brings sharp problem-solving skills, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to operational excellence.

A background in Radiological Emergency Preparedness, emergency management, or regulatory compliance is preferred, but we welcome adaptable candidates who are quick learners and driven by process. Candidates should be comfortable navigating federal guidelines, managing critical statewide equipment programs, and representing the Department in both steady-state planning and active emergency operations.

Desired Skills

• Demonstrated experience or background in Radiological Emergency Preparedness at the local, state, or federal level
• Familiarity with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and FEMA rules, regulations, and REP doctrine, with the ability to interpret and enforce federal standards
• Experience developing operational plans, procedures, and maintaining meticulously detailed training records
• Exceptional communication skills, including writing, speaking, listening, and negotiating across diverse partner agencies
• High degree of organization, self-discipline, and time management to independently drive projects and manage priorities
• Resilience and agility to step into active operational roles—such as SEOC Operations Officer— during exercises or real-world disaster activations

What You Will Do

• Coordinating off-site emergency planning and activities for nuclear power generation stations in and near Iowa
• Assisting counties in southwest and eastern Iowa with radiological emergency planning, training timelines, and verifying functional Emergency Alert Systems (EAS)
• Orchestrating drills, rehearsals, and training exercises in coordination with utilities, FEMA, host/risk counties, and state agency partners
• Managing the statewide thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) program—including vendor coordination, ordering, and distribution—and maintaining potassium iodide (KI) stockpiles in 10- mile Emergency Planning Zones
• Ensuring program compliance by responding to FEMA inquiries, maintaining NRC/FEMA doctrine currency, and preparing the Annual Letter of Certification
• Serving as Operations Officer during State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activations to mobilize critical resources during disasters and exercises, while providing flexible support across HSEM response elements

What We Offer You

• Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Paid time off effective immediately (biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year).
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC) (Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan).
• Optional 401A plan with employer contributions: The State makes match contributions into the employee’s selection of investments in a 401(a)-employer match account. The match is $1 for every $1 contributed up to a $75 monthly maximum.
• Employee Discount Programs from variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).

For additional information on benefits, please visit the Iowa Department of Administrative Services website at https://das.iowa.gov/human-resources/employee-and-retiree-benefits .

Travel

Travel required.

Working Hours

7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

This position will require a presence in the office on a regular basis. There will be a potential option for some remote work once on-boarding and training have been completed, but this is not a fulltime remote work position

HSEM is an equal opportunity employer

All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, consistent with applicable state and federal policies and regulations.

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov .

Selectives

204 Emergency Planning (State And Local) 6 months experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in the entire emergency planning process from meeting and working with partners to developing and writing the plan to working back through an approval process with the partners. Knowledge of emergency management and the systems and processes employed in Response, Recovery, Mitigation and Preparedness are essential

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• Seven years of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility).
• All of the following (a, b, and c):
• One year of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility); and
• A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and
• A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
• Graduation from an accredited school of law.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes nine months of full-time work as a Program Planner 2 or twenty-seven months of full-time work as a Program Planner 1.

Additional Qualification Requirements

Some positions in this class may require an applicant to have the ability to pass a background investigation.