This position provides 24 / 7 / 365 night-shift Operations Watch Officers to support the Secretary of Commerce’s Commerce Information and Operations Center (CIOC) .
The Watch Officer plays a critical role in ensuring the Department of Commerce remains ready to respond to and recover from natural hazards, national security events, and unexpected incidents.
The role requires calm, decisive judgment; strong communication skills; and the ability to coordinate across multiple agencies, levels of government, and private-sector partners in both classified and unclassified environments.
Background & Work Environment Supports federal emergency management, continuity operations (COOP), and all-hazards situational awareness.
Requires the ability to connect information quickly during fast-moving events, follow established SOPs, and communicate effectively across platforms.
Work is performed in both unclassified office space and a SCIF at Commerce HQ in Washington, DC.
Free parking is available for night shifts.
May be required to deploy (via personal vehicle) to a Commerce continuity facility within a 2-hour drive.
Work Schedule Approximately 3 weeks of day-shift training , followed by 1 month of night-shift shadowing with an experienced Watch Officer.
After training, the Watch Officer integrates into solo 12-hour night-shift operations.
Night shift report time :
- 5 : 45 PM for 15-minute turnover; shift runs to 6 : 00 AM after turnover to federal staff. 2-week cycle totals 85.75 hours , using the following Work / Off rotation : Week 1 : WWOOWWW (61.25 hrs) Week 2 : OOWWOOO (24.5 hrs) Then repeats.
- Minimum Requirements (Must Haves) Approximately 4 years of Operations Watch Officer / Stander experience (Operations Specialist level).
At least 2 years must be at the headquarters operations center of :
USDA, DOC, DOE, HHS, DHS, DOS, DOT, or Treasury.Watch experience must include monitoring and reporting on both natural and man-made hazards .Backgrounds not accepted :
purely DoD warfighting watch, IT / network outage monitoring, guard force operations, or intelligence-only watch.Active Top Secret clearance with SCI crossover eligibility (must currently be SCI-indoctrinated or debriefed within the last 23 months).Demonstrated skill coordinating and communicating on domestic and global emergency management issues.Ability to rapidly “connect the dots,” assess risk, and remain calm and decisive during fast-moving events.Experience supporting senior leadership communications at both unclassified and classified levels.Experience using an Emergency Notification System (ENS) (e.g., Everbridge).Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce concise, accurate reports.Ability to learn quickly, follow SOPs, and make informed, risk-aware decisions.Dependable personal transportation for travel to the designated alternate CIOC site.Ability to consistently arrive on time and work solo 12-hour night shifts.Strong judgment and the ability to evaluate complex, multi-factor situations.Hands-on experience using SIPRNet and JWICS .Key Responsibilities Serve as the sole night-shift Operations Watch Officer supporting CIOC 24 / 7 / 365 operations.Maintain situational awareness across natural disasters, national security events, human-caused incidents, and technological hazards.Coordinate timely emergency management awareness and response actions.Write operational reports, alert messages, notification summaries, and situational awareness updates in accordance with CIOC SOPs.Produce notification messages using the Commerce Emergency Notification System (Everbridge) .Monitor and respond to classified network emails and watch officer phone lines.Collect, analyze, and elevate relevant message traffic.Prepare written and oral briefs for government leads and Commerce leadership.Conduct routine testing of voice, audio, and data communication systems.Develop templates and tailored reports to support incident and continuity operations.Assist with drafting, reviewing, and implementing updates to CIOC policies and SOPs.Deploy as required to a Commerce continuity facility within a 2-hour radius.Powered by JazzHR