Watch Specialist (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialist)

State of Oregon; Salem (OR); On-site; USD 51,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Pension and retirement programs

Paid vacation and leave

Job summary

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) in Salem, Oregon, seeks a Watch Specialist (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialist) to join the team in a full-time, in-office role. The position supports the State’s Emergency Communications Center (OEC3) with 24/7 coordination of resources during emergencies, and requires independent decision making and strong judgment.

Responsibilities include handling statewide notifications, interviewing callers, documenting incident details,

Qualifications

• Two years of communications experience in a public, private, or military agency communications center.
• Note: “Communications experience” includes duties as a dispatcher or coordination function on radio, telephone, and/or teletype.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, manage, and assist with statewide emergency notifications and incident management related to state agencies, federal partners, PSAPs, and search and rescue.
• Independently interview callers to determine required notifications and coordinate response to emergencies.
• Document critical information and share reports with federal, state, tribal, county, and local partners.
• Create and disseminate reports to internal and external agencies and verify information per service agreements.
• Assist in development and evaluation of planning, training, and exercises to test emergency response plans.
• Monitor and distribute statewide alerts and warning information to tribal, county, and local jurisdictions.

Skills

Communication experience

Job description

Initial Posting Date:

08/27/2026

Application Deadline:

09/07/2026

Agency:

Oregon Department of Emergency Management

Salary Range:

$4,608.00 - $6,399.00

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Watch Specialist (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialist)

Job Description:

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is excited to announce a new opportunity for a Watch Specialist (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialist) to join our team! We welcome you to join us today!

The Department currently has an opening for one Watch Specialist (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialist) within the OERS Section of OEM in Salem, Oregon. This is a full-time, limited duration position . This position has opportunities to work a variety of compressed shifts on a rotating schedule. This position is full-time in office work schedule. More information about work schedules is listed below.

Please note this recruitment will be used to fill future vacancies for this classification. Applicants for this position will be retained for up to 180 days.

Watch Specialists staff the State of Oregon’s Emergency Communications and Coordination Center (OEC3) and provide 24-hourcoordination of local, state, and federal resources in response to emergency incidents. Theyprovide assistance to callers seeking information or who wish to report emergency incidents. Those who serve ins this role are the first step in the state’s response to emergencies and disasters and serve as the first point of contact for statewide emergency notifications. The role requires independent decision making, sound judgement, and the ability to adapt to quickly changing circumstances, but this work has a direct impact on responder safety, the protection of life, and the preservation of the environment, within the state of Oregon.

General duties:

• Coordinate, manage, and assist with statewide emergency notifications and incident management related to state agencies, federal partners, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs,) and search and rescue.
• Independently interview callers who report incidents or request assistance from the state to determine required notifications and coordinate the appropriate response to emergency situations.
• Document critical information and incident details and sharing reports with federal, state, tribal, county, and local organizations.
• Create and disseminate reports to various internal and external agencies; independently verify accurate information is distributed as required by service agreements.
• Assist in the development, evaluation of, and participation in planning, training, and exercises designed to test emergency response plans and procedures.
• Monitor and distribute statewide alerts and warning information throughout the state, and to tribal, county, and local jurisdictions.

For a copy of the full position description, please email [e-mail].

The Benefits of joining Our Team

It is the mission of Oregon Emergency Management (OEM) to lead collaborative state-wide efforts, inclusive of all partners and the communities we serve, to ensure capability to get help in an emergency and to protect, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies or disasters regardless of cause. To learn more about our team and the work we do, please visit Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) website.

We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to maintain a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, veteran status, disability, or status as a victim of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, or stalking.

Employee benefits include:

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• OERS Watch Center a leave bank is established in lieu of having traditional holidays off leave
• 8 hours of vacation leave earned per month.
• 8 hours of sick leave earned per month.
• 24 hours of personal business leave per fiscal year.
• Pension and retirement programs.
• Click here to learn more about State of Oregon benefits.

What do you need to qualify?

Minimum Qualifications:

Two years of communications experience, with computerized systems, working in a public, private or military agency communications center involving frequent contact and/or coordination with the public or other governmental or nongovernmental agencies.

Note: “Communications experience” includes duty as a dispatcher or other person involved in a dispatch or coordination function which is conducted by radio, telephone and/or teletype.

What we are looking for (Desired Attributes):

• Experience in a public safety answering point, 9-1-1 telecommunications/dispatch center or a role responsible for operation of the Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS)
• Experience operating computer aided dispatch systems, and/or Everbridge software, or Esri software such as ArcGIS Online
• Experience preparing reports/briefings for senior public safety/emergency management leadership, and developing policies, procedures, checklists, or similar documentation for a public safety or emergency management agency or critical communications facility.
• Completion of the Basic Intelligence and Threat Analysis Course or other FEMA recognized Intelligence Analyst training Course
• Current or previous certification as a Telecommunicator from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) or equivalent.
• Ability to successfully pass the Criticall Screening Test (Criticall will test for reading and writing comprehension, the ability to listen to callers and type at the same time, keyboarding and data entry skills, spelling, the ability to prioritize information, and map reading.

Note:You must clearly describe your experience in each area listed. Failure to provide this information may result in eliminating your application from further consideration.

Watch Specialist Work Schedule:

Work schedules for the Watch Specialist positions are full-time in person positions.

Successful candidates will spend their first 6-8 weeks in the role attending the new Watch Specialist academy and learning the skills needed to be successful in the role. Successful completion of the academy is a core part of succeeding in the role.

Generally, Watch Specialists work a compressed, rotating schedule designed to support 24/7 operations. The standard schedule consists of three 12-hour shifts per week, with one additional 8-hour shift every other week. This averages 40 hours per week over each two-week pay period. On this schedule, Watch Specialists can expect to have four days off one week, and three days off the next. This allows for longer periods away from work than a traditional five-day schedule while maintaining consistent staffing and continuity for around-the-clock operations.

Because the Watch Center operates continuously, this position may be assigned to a day or night shift, and scheduled workdays will include weekends and holidays. Applicants should be comfortable working extended shifts and a nontraditional schedule in a 24/7 operational environment.

Additional information:

• The salary listed is the non- Public Employee Retirement Systems (PERS) qualifying salary. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary will reflect the 6.95% increase.
• Finalists will be subject to a computerized criminal history check. Adverse background data may be grounds for immediate disqualification.
• Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Justice Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. OEM does not offer visa sponsorship.
• Please save a copy of this job announcement for your reference, as it may not be available for you to view after the job closes.
• Internal candidates currently employed by any State of Oregon agency must apply through their Workday employee account, ensuring their profile includes up-to-date job history and education, and that their application clearly demonstrates how their experience and/or education meets all minimum qualifications and desired attributes listed in the posting— all applicants who fail to follow these instructions will result in disqualification from this recruitment.

Veteran’s Preference:

The OEM provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. You will be sent a Workday “Task” to complete once you have submitted your application. The “Task” will prompt you to provide the appropriate documentation for your Veterans’ Preference point selection. For more information, please go here: https://www.oregon.gov/jobs/Pages/Veterans.aspx.