Instructional Systems Specialist

Federal Emergency Management Agency•Emmitsburg, MD

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The Instructional Systems Specialist serves as a senior technical specialist and subject matter expert in adult learning, instructional design, curriculum development, and instructional systems. The role leads the design, development, pilot testing, evaluation, and revision of training courses, curricula, and educational programs delivered through traditional, blended, online, synchronous, and asynchronous formats. It also provides technical oversight and quality assurance to ensure instructional products are evidence-based, instructionally sound, and aligned with National Fire Academy, United States Fire Administration, and federal standards. The position serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative for instructional design and course development contracts. Responsibilities include developing statements of work, monitoring contractor performance, reviewing deliverables, and tracking deadlines, budgets, and communications. The specialist also researches, recommends, tests, and supports implementation of educational technologies, including learning management and content management systems, web-based collaboration tools, AR/VR devices, gamification models, and related technologies. FEMA employees have regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities. The position is subject to around-the-clock recall and may involve irregular hours, work away from the official duty station, duties beyond the position description, and extensive travel with little advance notice. Deployments may last weeks to months and may require relocation to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions. If selected, the employee must attend a three-week in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland within six months of onboarding; FEMA covers travel expenses.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen.
Successfully pass and maintain a Public Trust - Moderate background investigation; the investigation may include a credit check and review of financial issues and certain criminal or drug-related matters.
Register for Selective Service, if applicable.
Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements, including 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band where required.
Be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
Be able to deploy with little or no advance notice anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period.
Possess a degree that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours relevant to the work, covering at least four of these five areas: learning theory/psychology of learning/educational psychology; instructional design practices; educational evaluation; instructional product development; and computers in education and training.
For GS-13 qualification, possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal government, designing, developing, evaluating, and revising complex instructional programs or curricula for adult learners using instructional systems design principles, learning objectives, assessment strategies, and multiple delivery modalities.
For GS-13 qualification, possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level providing technical oversight or project management for instructional design or curriculum development projects, including coordinating with subject matter experts or stakeholders, reviewing deliverables, evaluating training effectiveness, and ensuring products meet standards, contract requirements, or accepted instructional design practices.
Submit transcripts with the application; official college transcripts are required before appointment if selected.
If currently or recently a political appointee in a covered Executive Branch position within the last five years, disclose that information to Human Resources.
Attend a three-week in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland within six months of onboarding if selected.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior technical specialist and subject matter expert in adult learning, instructional design, curriculum development, and instructional systems for the National Fire Academy.
Lead and coordinate the design, development, pilot testing, evaluation, and revision of training courses, curricula, and educational programs across traditional, blended, online, synchronous, and asynchronous formats.
Provide technical oversight and quality assurance for instructional products, ensuring they are evidence-based, instructionally sound, and aligned with National Fire Academy, United States Fire Administration, and federal standards.
Serve as a Contracting Officer's Representative for instructional design and course development contracts.
Develop statements of work; monitor contractor performance; review deliverables; and track project deadlines, budgets, and communications.
Research, recommend, test, and support implementation of current and emerging educational technologies, including learning management systems, learning content management systems, web-based collaboration tools, AR/VR devices, and gamification models.
Perform regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, including potential emergency deployments and related duties.