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Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery (CORE)

Employees in FEMA safety vests on a cold day

Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (CORE) are hired to work for a specific, limited period, between two to four years. These positions may be renewed if there is ongoing disaster work and funding is available.

CORE employees are generally eligible for the same benefits as Permanent Full-Time (PFT) employees, but do not gain competitive status nor career tenure during their term.

What's a Cadre?
Our "cadres" are teams organized by skill and experience. Learn about the 23 cadres that represent the work we do at FEMA.

View Currently Open Positions

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About CORE Positions

FEMA CORE man speaks to the press.

“Working at FEMA has allowed me to directly engage with disaster survivors and provide lifesaving and impactful messaging. As part of the Field Leadership team, I embrace the significant responsibility of coaching, educating and notably, mentoring fellow employees.”

– Craig B., Region 5 IMAT-External Affairs Officer, CORE employee

Selection

CORE employees are hired under the Robert T. Stafford Act and are excluded from the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing jobs in the competitive service. They can be hired under a streamlined process instead of a competitive process.

Duration

CORE jobs are full-time positions for two to four-years. The term may be renewed if there is ongoing disaster work and funding is available.

Career Tenure and Competitive Status 

CORE employees do not earn career tenure or competitive status in the federal government. This means they must compete with the public for federal jobs rather than receive preference.

What to Expect During the Hiring Process

  1. Current 1. Find Right Role
  2. 2. Apply for Job
  3. 3. Application Review
  4. 4. Interview & Selection
  5. 5. Background Check
  6. 6. Final Job Offer
  7. 7. Onboarding & Orientation

Step 1:  Finding the right role

FEMA has many career opportunities for individuals interested in helping people before, during, and after disasters. We offer entry level to more experienced level positions as well as management positions.  We also offer different employee types with varying availability requirements from full time to intermittent based on disaster activity to short term opportunities for local residents to aid in recovery for their community.

To learn more about the various employee types and career paths, please visit:

Job Resources

Positions are available across the General Schedule with additional locality pay adjustments based on location.

Get the inside scoop on resume writing for a federal job. A federal resume is your application to a position and requires more detail than private-sector resumes.

Use the template to help prepare your resume.

Career Path Tool (CPT) lets current and prospective FEMA employees explore the many different careers that are available at FEMA.

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.