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Coast Guard Rescue Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

OTAR Specialist

Orlando, FL · On-site

$92K/yr

Coast Guard Rescue 21 environments * Public safety communications background * Experience supporting encryption-capable communications assets * Existing DHS suitability, Public Trust, Secret ...

OTAR Specialist

Orlando, FL

$92K/yr

Coast Guard Rescue 21 environments * Public safety communications background * Experience supporting encryption-capable communications assets * Existing DHS suitability, Public Trust, Secret ...

OTAR Specialist

Orlando, FL · On-site

$92K/yr

Coast Guard Rescue 21 environments * Public safety communications background * Experience supporting encryption-capable communications assets * Existing DHS suitability, Public Trust, Secret ...

S. Coast Guard, and everyday explorers and adventurers across the globe. With everything from emergency locator transmitters and rescue beacons to the special flashlights used on Apollo 13 after ...

Coast Guard Rescue information

See Florida salary details

$7

$12

$16

How much do coast guard rescue jobs pay per hour?

As of May 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for coast guard rescue in Florida is $12.60, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $10.77 and $13.85 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Coast Guard Rescue member, and why are they important?

To thrive in Coast Guard Rescue, you need strong physical fitness, emergency response training, and knowledge of maritime operations, typically supported by completion of Coast Guard-specific training programs. Familiarity with navigation systems, rescue equipment, and radio communication tools is essential. Quick decision-making, teamwork, and resilience under pressure are crucial soft skills for excelling in high-stress, life-saving situations. These skills ensure effective rescues, crew safety, and mission success in challenging maritime environments.

What are some common challenges faced by Coast Guard Rescue personnel during search and rescue missions?

Coast Guard Rescue personnel often encounter challenging weather conditions, unpredictable sea states, and time-sensitive situations that demand quick decision-making and adaptability. They must remain calm under pressure while coordinating closely with fellow crew members, other agencies, and distressed individuals. Additionally, maintaining physical fitness and up-to-date training is essential, as missions can require both technical rescue operations and extended hours in demanding environments.

What are Coast Guard Rescue teams?

Coast Guard Rescue teams are specialized units within the United States Coast Guard that are trained to respond to emergencies at sea and along coastlines. Their primary responsibilities include search and rescue operations, providing medical assistance, and ensuring the safety of mariners and the public during maritime emergencies. These teams operate a variety of vessels, helicopters, and equipment to quickly reach people in distress and perform lifesaving missions in challenging conditions.

What is the difference between Coast Guard Rescue vs Coast Guard Search and Rescue?

AspectCoast Guard RescueCoast Guard Search and Rescue
CertificationsRescue swimmer certification, CPR, first aidRescue swimmer certification, CPR, first aid
Work EnvironmentOpen water, ships, coastlinesOpen water, coastlines, remote areas
Job FocusPerforming rescue operations in emergenciesLocating and rescuing persons in distress at sea

Both roles involve rescue operations at sea, requiring similar certifications and work environments. Coast Guard Rescue specifically emphasizes performing emergency rescues, often in immediate response situations, while Coast Guard Search and Rescue focuses on locating and rescuing individuals in distress, sometimes involving extensive search efforts. Both are vital for maritime safety and require specialized training and certifications.

What are popular job titles related to Coast Guard Rescue jobs in Florida? For Coast Guard Rescue jobs in Florida, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Coast Guard Rescue jobs in Florida look for? The top searched job categories for Coast Guard Rescue jobs in Florida are:
Infographic showing various Coast Guard Rescue job openings in Florida as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 66% Full Time, 28% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Summer. Highlights an 93% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $26,209 per year, or $12.6 per hour.
Lead Command Center Controller

Lead Command Center Controller

U.S. Coast Guard

Jacksonville, FL • On-site, Remote

$89.51K - $116.36K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago


Job description

Summary
This vacancy is for a GS-0301-12, Lead Command Center Controller located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, SECTOR SAN JUAN COMMAND CENTER in SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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You will serve as a Lead Command Center Controller and be responsible for maintaining command and control as a watch leader over all Coast Guard operations in the Sector's area of responsibility.
Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:
  • Leads Coast Guard response missions for search and rescue, pollution, marine safety, and law enforcement incidents across AOR.
  • Provides command and control for Coast Guard missions by coordinating responses, dispatching assets, developing action plans, and ensuring proper documentation.
  • Manages the Sector Command Center training program by establishing requirements, maintaining logs, scheduling training, and advising leadership on gaps.
  • Engages and communicates with external partners and stakeholders to maintain readiness and collaborative standards in the area of responsibility.
  • Presents findings and recommendations to the Sector Chain of Command to inform operational briefs, case statuses, policy, and process improvements.

Puerto Rico Only: There is a 2.81% (of basic pay) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) authorized for this position location. Please see Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances for more information. With PCS entitlement comes the eligibility for enrollment into the DoDEA School.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Reasonable Accommodation Information
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume:
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Date of Birth (DOB)
  • Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
  • Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

Key Requirements:
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • Under provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act, first time supervisors and/or managers will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation. This position requires a secret clearance.
  • This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
  • Selectee must be able to obtain/maintain a valid state driver's license.
  • Selectee subject to successful completion of pre-employment medical exam.
  • Time-in-Grade requirement must be met by the closing date of the vacancy.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.
  • This position requires the selectee to pass a pre-employment drug test.

The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Qualifications
To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular basis.
  • Directing assets to prosecute search and rescue, pollution, marine safety, and law enforcement operations in response to maritime incidents;
  • Managing a unit, division, or department training program (e.g. monitoring the certification process;
  • Analyzing operational information to maintain maritime domain awareness by operating surveillance equipment, entering data, and preparing reports.

NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or related applicable assessment) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.
Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected & prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. (see FOREIGN EDUCATION below).
College Transcript: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Transcripts should be legible and detailed, showing course number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. To receive this credit, you must submit evidence of equivalency as provided by a credentialling evaluation service. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Additional information
Due Weight
Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).
E-Verify
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to raquelle.m.ferguson@uscg.mil.
Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Special Employment Consideration
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
Moving expenses will be paid in accordance with appropriate regulations.
If you are unable to apply online, please contact raquelle.m.ferguson@uscg.mil. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation
More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.
Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.