The Federal Emergency Management Agency is a government organization that hires a number of new employees every year, and some workers find themselves draw to the position of program specialist for FEMA. Many people never think of FEMA until a disaster strikes. FEMA often jumps into action after a disaster impacts a certain area. The organization helped residents after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and after mudslides and wildfires struck parts of California. Before applying for a position with the organization, you should know what the job entails.
What is a Program Specialist for FEMA?
A program specialist is someone who works directly with FEMA, but also works directly with the public at large. Specialists must show that they have experience and expertise in a specific field when filing a resume and applying for an open position. FEMA members often work in supportive roles. While some people assume they do little until an emergency situation or disaster happens, many FEMA specialists work every day to reduce the impact that those situations would have on the public. They might identify potential hazards in a certain city or look at how a problem might affect the general population.
Types of Positions
FEMA has a number of different specialist jobs available, including standard jobs with the company and emergency positions. If you accept an emergency position, FEMA will contact you immediately after an emergency and you must agree to take the job. If the organization identifies a potential emergency, it might call on you for help before the general public knows of the danger. You will fly to another city or town and work with a small group to lessen the impact of the problem. FEMA also offers full-time positions as building supervisors and for positions working with the Department of Homeland Security.
Requirements Needed
Requirements for different specialists working for FEMA vary based on the job. Some positions require that applicants be an American citizen and have a high security access within the government. Other positions have fewer requirements and are open to recent graduates. Nearly every position within the government requires a Bachelor’s degree, and some positions require an advanced Master’s degree. FEMA requires that all applicants apply for open positions on its website and that they complete the FEMA Internal Rotation Application Form when submitting a resume.
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Salary Projection
Though government jobs sometimes have a reputation for not coming with a high salary, FEMA positions come with a high average salary. Career Bliss found that the average salary for a program specialist for FEMA went from $65,000 a year in 2009 to $90,000 a year in 2010, before falling to $40,000 a year in 2011. While the average annual salary for specialists did drop in recent years, some positions that require more education and experience still offer high salaries. Those with higher security access and those working joint projects with another department can start out making as much as $100,000 a year or more.
FEMA helped millions of people survive natural disasters over the years and prevented millions of dollars in damages to cities across the country. As a program specialist, you will help the organization identify problems and find solutions to those problems. A program specialist for FEMA might work only during emergency situations or work in a field office all year long.