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Posted: March 31, 2026 (1 day ago)

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EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Air National Guard

Department of the Air Force

Fresh

Location

Salary

$106,437 - $138,370

per year

Closes

GS-12 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $74,441 - $96,770

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-11. Advanced degree + significant experience.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves leading planning and operations for search and rescue (SAR) and personnel recovery (PR) missions within the Air National Guard, focusing on national defense and emergency responses to crises.

The role requires coordinating across military, civilian, and international agencies to develop innovative strategies for everything from routine rescues to major disasters.

It's a great fit for experienced military or emergency professionals with strong leadership skills who thrive in high-pressure situations and can influence high-level decisions.

Key Requirements

  • One year of specialized experience at GS-12 level or equivalent, including knowledge of NORAD, Aerospace Defense, and Homeland Defense missions
  • Expertise in SAR policies, procedures, doctrine, and multi-discipline concepts (e.g., DOD, FEMA, National Park Service, USCG)
  • In-depth operational experience planning, coordinating, and executing SAR/PR operations in support of national and international objectives
  • Knowledge of SAR/PR programs, computer search planning tools, advanced search theory, FAA/ICAO regulations, and DoD directives
  • Ability to respond in high-stress environments, make critical judgments, and communicate recommendations to senior authorities
  • Skills in deliberate and crisis action planning within a combatant command, using collaborative tools and analytical methods
  • Federal time-in-grade requirement: One year at GS-12 within the past 52 weeks for merit promotion or VEOA applicants

Full Job Description

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as the senior Lead Search and Rescue (SAR) and Personnel Recovery (PR) future operations staff officer in the Operations Plans Division, Air, Space, and Information Operations Directorate, Air Forces Northern (AFNORTH/ A3X).

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management Positions.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-12, or equivalent in other pay systems.

Examples of specialized experience includes knowledge of the NORAD Aerospace Defense and Homeland Defense, Civil Support, and Security Cooperation (SC) mission sets; Search and Rescue (SAR) policies, procedures and doctrine; and Personnel Recovery (PR) policy, doctrine and tactics, techniques, and procedures; expert knowledge of SAR Concepts from multiple disciplines (DOD Aeronautical Inland SAR doctrine, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue, National Park Service Land SAR and Swift Water Rescue, and USCG Maritime, Coastal, Waterborne and Aeronautical SAR) to be able to merge the concepts of all domains and disciplines to create new and innovative national doctrine for the full spectrum of SAR from routine SAR through catastrophic incident SAR.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible.

One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: 1.

Ability to respond in a high stress environment to intense foreign and domestic event situations.

make critical characterization judgments, formulate recommendations that may have major national impact/consequences.

and transmit those recommendations clearly and concisely to possibly the highest civilian authority in the Government. 2.

In-depth knowledge and operational experience in a wide range of methods used to plan, coordinate and execute SAR/PR operations in direct support of international conventions, the National SAR Plan, contingency operations, and other vital national objectives.

3. In-depth knowledge of SAR/PR programs and objectives. state-of-the-art computer search planning programs, and advanced search theory and applications. 4.

In-depth knowledge of SAR/PR publications, FAA regulations, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations, Flight Information Publications (FLIP) documents, DoD, U.S.

Air Force, and MAJCOM directives pertaining to international airway structures, oceanic routes. controlled and special use airspace. aeronautical charts.

airfield information and restrictions, enroute supplements, flight safety, security regulation. diplomatic clearance requirements, and Airspace Control Plans (ACP). 5.

ln-depth knowledge in executing deliberate and crisis action planning within a Geographic Combatant Command headquarters; Skilled in use of collaborative tools; including knowledge of analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to conduct studies and evaluate results for the effective management and completion of projects.

6.

Ability to negotiate and defend ideas and support operational concepts; Ability to be an effective writer; Ability to react quickly and calmly in high stress situations; to analyze, evaluate and make judgments under pressure.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work.

You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

Coordinate, Integrate and Synchronize SAR/PR policy, strategy, and operations for AFNORTH. Perform duties as a SAR/PR operations officer for the AFNORTH PRCC.

Lead deliberate and crisis action planning discussions, meetings, committees, and special projects; conducts analyses, presents briefings, and prepares recommendations and reports.

Represent the AFNORTH Future Operations at Search and Rescue (SAR) and Personnel Recovery (PR) events.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 3/31/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 4/2/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 41-AFPC-12926247-242074-DCH