Emergency Management Specialist

The position is located within each VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven CT Campus and reports to the Associate Director or Executive Leadership Team. The position of an Emergency Management Specialist (EMS) manages the health care system in sustaining national and regional support to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/01/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. You may qualify based on your experience as described below:GS-12 Grade Requirements Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Functioning as the local program manager for the Disaster Emergency Personnel System (DEMPS), which is a program comprised of qualified volunteers who register and train in disaster management and support national deployment requirements. Recruiting, evaluating, identifying, and training specifically qualified volunteers to support national task orders. Approval for DEMPS deployments are coordinate through Medical Center Director. Serving as the local program manager for First Receiver Decontamination. Monitors the Decontamination Unit Leader in organizing and coordinating all areas of responsibility related to the Decontamination Response Team including coordinating with the Safety Officer, Industrial Hygienist, Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Coordinator. Supervising the Decontamination Triage Leader, Decontamination Entry Team Leader, Decontamination Site Access Control Unit Leader and Decontamination Logistics Officer. Initiating, ensuring, and maintaining an inventory of Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) and other decontamination equipment; coordinates with the Industrial Hygienist on annual PAPR functional checks; ensuring training is provided to the Decontamination team. Responsibilities include forecasting decontamination sustainment fund and life cycle management of equipment. Activating and providing direct support to the Hospital Incident Management Team. Preparing the Hospital Command Center (HCC) for drills, exercises and responses. Reconstituting HCC supplies and equipment after the demobilized. Developing and distributing an After-Action Report with Improvement Plan resulting from capability gaps. 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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work includes walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, and occasionally assisting with a wheelchair. In some instances, relationships with patients and caregivers can become intense and the incumbent is constantly exposed to high levels of stress and anxiety. This position demands emotional stability, as the incumbent is deeply involved with many challenging, seriously ill, and/or dying patients and their caregivers. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.