Emergency Communications Specialist

About the role

The Library of Congress shares its vast collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and priceless artifacts to cultivate curiosity and spark imagination. We engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity.

We seek highly talented professionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on the Library and its users well into the future.

What you will do

• This position is located in the Emergency Preparedness Division of the Security and Emergency Preparedness Directorate (SEPD), for the Chief Operating Officer (COO), and reports directly to the Chief of Emergency Preparedness.
• The Emergency Communications Specialist serves as a technical subject-matter expert for the Library's emergency messaging and alert notification systems and provides continuous monitoring and tracking of security events, threats, alerts, warnings, and incidents occurring within the National Capital Region (NCR).
• The position is an integral part of a small team responsible for Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan development and maintenance, emergency preparedness staff training, exercises, plan review and development, incident response and recovery, rotational on-call duty, and emergency preparedness contract management.
• The Attend selectee will need to attend meetings and conferences as necessary.
• As the Emergency Management Specialist, you will: Identify and report data and information for LOC alert notifications.
• Deliver quality, accurate, and timely emergency communication services to Library leadership, staff, contractors, and visitors.
• Provide continuous monitoring and tracking of security events, threats, alerts, warning, and incidents within the National Capital Region (NCR).
• Report and communicate relevant security information through the Library's Mass Alert Notification Systems and related emergency communication systems.
• Analyze, assess, and report critical information needed to increase situational awareness for operations and timely decision making in a complex environment.
• Serve as an expert on the Library's emergency alert and notification processes and send alerts and notifications as needed.
• Provide oral and written briefings to senior leadership and/or key stakeholders on operational readiness for situational awareness of evolving threats, incidents, or hazards.
• Serve as the subject-matter expert on the Library's Mass Alert System (JEMNS) Alertus emergency beacons and Emergency Public Address system.
• Prepare and transmit operational and administrative messaging and updates to Library of Congress staff and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate information and messaging for special arrivals, vehicle access, oversized equipment and material deliveries, educational displays, and other special events to include concerts, joint sessions, State of the Union Addresses and Inaugurations.
• Monitor daily USCP activities including its interaction with other local and law enforcement agencies.
• Coordinate with USCP for special events, security projects, incidents, and emergency as they relate to Library of Congress facilities, staff, and assets, to include offsite facilities outside of the National Capital Region.
• Assist with current situational awareness duties as related to existing and future Library of Congress messaging and alert notification systems.
• Establish the Library of Congress Telephone Conference Bridge and act as the bridge manager while the conference bridge remains active.
• Maintain an awareness and knowledge of the current procedures to access the USCP Command Center Conference Bridge when necessary for Library of Congress emergency personnel and key leadership.
• Provide advice and guidance to other federal, state, and local governments on appropriate training programs to satisfy various emergency management requirements.
• Recommend sources to satisfy the training requirements.
• Assist in the development of specific training sessions/materials to satisfy training requirements.
• Design and develop multi-state or national exercise scenarios and serve as an evaluator.
• In coordination with superior, direct the conduct and completion of full scale, partial-scale, and remedial exercises to determine the ability of the Library of Congress to implement respective emergency plans in response to an incident.
• Serve as a primary contact within the Library of Congress for other federal agencies and for significant organizational segments of an agency for guidance and interpretation of standards and procedures.
• Render judgments and convey decisions regarding interpretations of policy.
• Review and evaluate planning programs for effectiveness and integration with federal plans for a significant organizational segment of an agency, such the Library's service and support units.
• Initiate, write, interpret, and implement policy, regulations, reports, and position papers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• The position description number for this position is 470755.
• The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
• The incumbent of this position will work a Flexitime work schedule.
• This is non-supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.
• Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Requirements

• Conditions of Employment The selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
• Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana.
• The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library.
• In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

How you will be evaluated

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position.

To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview.

The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).
• Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position.
• The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.
• The program does not accept certification from health care providers.
• For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at *** or email ***.
• FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

What to expect next

Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid at step one of the grade. The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation. For more information, please see: Vetting Process This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ***.

The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position.

The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.

Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at *** or email ***.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial permanent appointments to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period. Probationary periods served at other Federal agencies do not count toward this requirement. The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans.

However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit. A “Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date.

However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints. Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim.

Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.