Introduction

Ready to help communities become stronger, safer, and more resilient? Join Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) as a Hazard Mitigation Project Specialist and play a hands‑on role in shaping statewide hazard mitigation programs, guiding local and tribal partners, and supporting disaster operations across Wisconsin.

The State of Wisconsin, Department of Military Affairs (DMA), is hiring a Hazard Mitigation Project Specialist (Emergency Management Specialist) located in Madison.

The DMA provides essential, effective, and responsive military and emergency management capability for the citizens of our state and nation. During emergencies, no single organization can handle the response. The DMA consists of several organizations working together to plan, prepare, coordinate, and respond effectively when our communities and neighbors need us the most.

WEM builds capabilities and coordinates resources to support a safe and resilient Wisconsin. WEM is the state’s lead agency for coordinating effective disaster response and recovery efforts in support of local and tribal governments from natural and human-caused/technological events. WEM works alongside local, tribal, state, and federal agencies as well as volunteer and private-sector partners.

We offer an opportunity to engage with a team of dedicated professionals, with a truly worthwhile mission. Our convenient location is near Madison College and adjacent to the Dane County Regional Airport with access to major highways. Our facility includes a fantastic fitness center, indoor pickleball court, and free on-site parking.

The DMA offers flexible schedules and great life/work balance. This position is eligible for limited telework after an initial training period. In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, we offer a competitive benefits package featuring:

Substantial leave time including at least 3.5 weeks of vacation to start, 9 paid holidays, and ample accrued sick time that rolls over each year.
Excellent and affordable health, vision, and dental benefits (health plan options start at just $45/month for single plans and $111/month for family plans after two months of employment).
A casual atmosphere and flexible work schedules, depending on the position's requirements.
An exceptional pension plan with employer match and lifetime retirement payment, plus an optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
Well Wisconsin Wellness Program: A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their immediate family dependents a variety of tools, resources, and professional consultation services to support their health, goals, and overall wellbeing.
Working for Wisconsin State Government may make you eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies in the next 6 months.

Position Summary

The Hazard Mitigation Project Specialist positions administer a broad range of complex emergency management, hazard mitigation, and disaster recovery programs. These positions work with federal, tribal, state, and local government agencies as well as the private sector and non-profits before, during, and after an incident to implement state and federal grants and programs that assist communities in recovering from disasters and mitigating against the impacts of future disasters.

The Hazard Mitigation Project Specialists work with communities in developing or updating hazard mitigation and other emergency plans and assist in maintaining the Division’s plans. They develop and deliver job aids, guidance documents, presentations, and training on emergency management, hazard mitigation, and disaster recovery topics. They provide technical assistance to the stakeholders of the programs they administer.

Duties are performed with extensive latitude for individual decision-making under the general supervision of the Hazard Mitigation Section Supervisor.

Salary Information

Starting pay is between $32.20 and $34.84 per hour.

This position is in the 07/04 pay schedule/range. A 12-month probation will be required. For current permanent state employees, pay will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan.

To learn more about the complete compensation package, please visit the Total Rewards Calculator.

Job Details

The ability to respond with short or little notice to emergencies and disasters in the assigned region and arriving within a reasonable amount of time is required.

In order to gain access to DMA facilities or air bases, and to determine whether the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the job being filled, DMA will conduct a comprehensive background check.

The Department of Military Affairs does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9.

This is a State of Wisconsin Civil Service position. The DMA does not require current or previous military experience.

All new permanent, project, and limited term employees will be required to report to Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) in Madison on the Monday of their first week of employment for the New Employee Orientation (NEO) program. Additional information will be sent to the new employees and their supervisors on the Tuesday prior to NEO.

Qualifications

Candidates who meet minimum qualifications will have experience with:

Developing technical documents, managing grant and project data, training materials, correspondence, and/or program documentation utilizing appropriate software (such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) or Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides) or similar).
Reviewing, revising, and developing plans and procedures.
Developing and maintaining cooperative, positive working relationships with individuals outside of your organization, i.e., customers, the public, government (federal, state, county, tribal, and local officials).

In addition to the minimum qualifications, well-qualified candidates will also have the following preferred qualifications:

Developing and implementing training programs for the adult learner.
Experience with or education/training in state and federal disaster legislation and in particular, State Statue 323 Emergency Management and PL 100-707 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
Working with federal, state, tribal and local agencies and interpreting policies and procedures, particularly as they relate to emergency management.

Your resume and letter of qualification are very important parts of your application. In these materials, you should clearly describe your education, training, and experience as they relate to the bulleted items listed above.

Your qualifications should be addressed in your resume and expanded upon in your letter of qualifications. These materials are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job.

Here are instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications and what should be included in these materials. The vast majority of applicants are able to outline their background and experience in their resume in 1-3 pages; the same applies to the letter of qualification.

How To Apply

Apply online!

Click “Apply for Job” to start the application process. If you have not signed into your account, you will need to sign in before applying. If you do not have an account, click “Register Now” to register for an account and apply for the job. Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.

Helpful Information:

You will be able to save your application as many times as needed and make edits up until the point you submit your application. Please note that once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any updates to the application or any materials submitted.
You will be required to attach your current resume and letter of qualifications in a Word or PDF compatible format.
Please monitor your email for communications related to this position.
Please consider saving a copy of the job announcement for future reference.
For instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications and what should be included in these materials, click here. Submitted materials will be evaluated by a panel of job experts and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.
Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer, voluntary demotion, or reinstatement) should complete the online application process.
Applications must be submitted through Wisc.Jobs. Failure to submit all required materials will result in an incomplete application and ineligibility for this position. Application materials will not be accepted if received in an incompatible format, an email, as a hard copy or a fax.

If viewing through an external site, please click here to apply directly at Wisc.Jobs.

The Department of Military Affairs is an equal opportunity employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. For complete information on veterans’ hiring programs that may benefit you, please visit the Employment Assistance page on the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs’ website.

Veterans with a 30%-or-greater service-connected disability rating are eligible for consideration for non-competitive appointment to permanent positions in classified civil service under s. 230.275, WI Stats. Please visit the Veterans Employment page for more information about the program and how to apply. Current state employees in permanent positions are not eligible for non-competitive appointment.

For general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance, please see the wisc.jobs Frequently Asked Questions page. The Wisc.Jobs helpdesk is available Monday-Friday, 7:45am - 4:30pm at 608-267-1012 or wiscjobs@wisconsin.gov. Some applicants report better performance when using the Chrome browser.

Questions regarding the application process can be directed to Michele Sorum at michele.sorum@widma.gov or 608-242-3149.

Deadline to Apply

The online application process must be completed by 11:59p.m. on Sunday, August 9, 2026. Late applications will not be accepted.

State of Wisconsin - Military Affairs

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Hazard Mitigation Project Specialist