FEMA Public Assistance Specialist

WIL is seeking a FEMA Public Assistance Specialist to manage Public Assistance grant work for communities in disaster recovery, including project worksheets, grant management, and compliance documentation.

About the Workforce Intelligence Lab (WIL)

The Workforce Intelligence Lab (WIL) delivers applied research and public-program support for cities, counties, school systems, special districts, utilities, and related agencies. Our work spans emergency management and continuity planning, housing and community development, grant administration technical assistance, research and program evaluation, and applied field operations support.

Learn more: https://wilinstitute.org

We engage experienced practitioners for both full-time employment and project-based contract roles, as applicable to the award and staffing model. Engagements are remote-first with travel as required for partner and field sites. We build ready teams for live grant and sponsored-research pursuits.

This opportunity is contingent upon grant or sponsored-project award and final staffing approval. Permission will be requested before including a candidate's name or resume in a proposal or funding package.

What you'll do

• Administer FEMA Public Assistance activities for recovering communities
• Develop and manage project worksheets and related grant documentation through the award and closeout cycle
• Track grant management milestones, drawdowns, and compliance documentation against FEMA and recipient requirements
• Coordinate with applicants, recipients, and WIL delivery leads on eligibility, scope, and documentation quality
• Contribute specialist qualifications and past-performance narrative to WIL grant and sponsored-research packages when permissioned

Requirements

• Required
• Hands-on FEMA Public Assistance administration experience
• Experience preparing or managing project worksheets, grant files, and compliance documentation for disaster recovery
• Open to full-time employment or project-based contract engagement; remote-first with travel as partner and field work requires
• Nice to have
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) administration experience
• Prior work with state or local emergency-management or recovery agencies
• Familiarity with FEMA Grants Portal / EM Grantee systems and 2 CFR 200 grant administration
• 2–3 prior PA or HMGP engagements you can cite (agency or partner, your role, year)