1

Fema Disaster Relief Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Bachelor's degree in culinary arts. * 10 years experience supporting emergency response, disaster relief, or remote feeding operations. * Background in federal programs (HHS/ASPR, FEMA, DoD) or large ...

Bachelor's degree in culinary arts. * 10 years experience supporting emergency response, disaster relief, or remote feeding operations. * Background in federal programs (HHS/ASPR, FEMA, DoD) or ...

Fema Disaster Relief information

See Virginia salary details

$12

$19

$27

How much do fema disaster relief jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for fema disaster relief in Virginia is $19.45, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.44 and $23.12 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a FEMA Disaster Relief?

A FEMA Disaster Relief job involves assisting communities affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. Employees help with disaster response, recovery efforts, damage assessments, and providing aid to impacted individuals. Positions can be temporary or permanent and may require travel to disaster sites. Workers play a crucial role in coordinating emergency services, processing relief applications, and ensuring affected communities receive necessary assistance.

What does a FEMA Disaster Relief do?

A typical day in a FEMA Disaster Relief role can vary greatly depending on the stage and nature of the disaster response. You may be coordinating logistics, assessing damage, providing support to affected communities, or managing resources in the field or at a command center. Collaboration with local officials, volunteers, and other federal agencies is common, and the work environment can range from office settings to on-site disaster areas. Shifts may be long and include nights or weekends, especially during active emergency responses. This dynamic role offers a fast-paced, impactful environment where adaptability and teamwork are essential.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the FEMA Disaster Relief position?

To thrive in a FEMA Disaster Relief role, you need strong organizational, problem-solving, and emergency management skills, typically supported by a background in public safety or emergency response. Familiarity with FEMA’s National Incident Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS), and related certifications is often required. Excellent communication, adaptability, and teamwork abilities help individuals excel during high-pressure, rapidly changing situations. These skills ensure effective coordination and delivery of critical relief services during disasters, directly impacting the speed and quality of community recovery.

How to become a FEMA Disaster Relief worker?

To become a FEMA Disaster Relief worker, applicants typically need to meet minimum qualifications such as relevant experience, a background check, and sometimes specialized training. Volunteering or applying through FEMA's official job portal is common, and candidates may need to be available for deployment on short notice during emergencies.

What are popular job titles related to Fema Disaster Relief jobs in Virginia?

For Fema Disaster Relief jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Fema Disaster Relief jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Fema Disaster Relief job openings:

Infographic showing various Fema Disaster Relief job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $40,464 per year, or $19.5 per hour.

FEMA-Disaster Recovery Specialists (Mechanical Engineers)

Dewberry Engineers Incorporated

Fairfax, VA • On-site

Other

Re-posted 28 days ago


Job description


FEMA-Disaster Recovery Specialists (Mechanical Engineers)
Job ID
15223
# of Openings
25
Job Location
US
Category
Disaster Support
Relocation Assistance
No
Service Line
MCS
Job Description

Join the Dewberry Team! Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to help our country with disaster recovery work? Dewberry maintains a cadre of skilled professional and technical staff in an on-call capacity to support disaster recovery work across the United States. We are currently searching for highly qualified Mechanical Engineers to support these projects. As one of our Disaster Specialists, you will collaborate with some of the best and brightest in the industry and use your expertise to support critical recovery efforts in disaster-impacted communities.This is an excellent opportunity for those who want to use their knowledge, skills and abilities to help disaster survivors at disaster recovery operation work sites throughout the United States and its territories.

*Please note, remote work is not permitted for this role. This is a nonfulltime, deploymentbased on-call position supporting disaster relief efforts across the United States. Team members are deployed to impacted sites as needed and may travel frequently on short notice. While the role requires physical presence at various disaster locations, it is not tied to a single office or fixed worksite.

Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you're an experienced professional or a new graduate, you'll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call "Dewberry at Work," that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.

Responsibilities

In this role, you will deploy to disaster sites to support FEMA or other government entities in the delivery of disaster recovery programs such as the Public Assistance (PA) program or the FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) Direct Housing program. Mechanical Engineers may perform field inspections of damaged facilities to gain an understanding of the project scope of work, including means and methods of construction. They also may assist FEMA, local government agencies and other entities with understanding the technical requirements for projects in their field of expertise. The work includes but is not limited to assessments of disaster-damaged infrastructure, documenting detailed damage descriptions, developing new or restoration scopes of work, formulating detailed cost estimates, and assisting with hazard mitigation planning.

This posting is anticipated to close on December 31st 2026.

Required Skills & Required Experience
    Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field from an accredited university
  • Minimum of 5 years of full-time professional experiencein field of study working with public infrastructure
  • Knowledge of modern construction practices and experience conducting facility assessments, performing construction inspection, and developing project scope and cost estimates
  • Working knowledge of International Building Code (IBC), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other governmental regulatory compliance
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Must be computer literate and proficient with MS Office Suite applications
  • Must be able to work both independently and in a team environment under stressful conditions
  • The ability to work up to 12 hours per day, 7 days a week while deployed to a disaster recovery operation for up to 12 months
  • Must have a valid driver's license and clean driving record
  • Be a U.S. citizen capable of passing a federal background investigation to obtain a Public Trust clearance

Preferred Skills and Experience:

  • Licensed Professional Engineer
  • Five years of experience working as a mechanical engineer
  • Working knowledge of the FEMA PA Program law, regulation and policy
  • Prior FEMA PA experience as: Program Delivery Manager, Site Inspector, Policy Advisor, Cost Estimator, or Hazard Mitigation Specialist
  • Working knowledge of FEMA's Grants Manager or Grants Portal
  • Proficiency using cost estimating software such as RS Means and Xactimate

*At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.

*This position is covered by the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act of 1965 (SCA).

*Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

#LI-Onsite

Salary Range

The projected range for this position is $55 to $70 hourly. Depending upon other factors, i.e., skills, experience, location, market conditions, the range may vary slightly.

Need help finding the right job?
We can recommend jobs specifically for you!
Click here to get started.