Watch Specialists (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialists)

Initial Posting Date:

01/29/2026

Application Deadline:

02/04/2026

Agency:

Oregon Department of Emergency Management

Salary Range:

$4,203 - $5,838

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Watch Specialists (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialists)

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 six Watch Specialists (Criminal Justice/Emergency Communications Specialists) within the OERS Section of OEM in Salem, Oregon. These are full-time, permanent positions. These positions have the opportunities to work a variety of shifts that rotate on a quarterly basis. These positions have a full-time in office work schedule. More information about work schedules is listed below.

Watch Specialists staff the State of Oregon’s Emergency Response System Watch Center and provide 24-hour  coordination of  local, state, and federal resources in response to network system administration and maintenance to emergency incidents  provide assistance to callers seeking information, and provide incident coordination, investigative assistance, and emergency response  management. These positions serve as points of contact for statewide notification, requiring independent decision making that may have a direct impact on responder safety, life, protection of the environment, and property 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 to coordinate appropriate response to emergency situations.

• Responsible for documenting 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, tribal, county, and local jurisdictions.

For a copy of the position description, please email samantha.r.hoyle@oem.oregon.gov.

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