FEMA-Disaster Recovery Specialists (Mechanical Engineers)

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 non‑full‑time, deployment‑based 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.

Dewberry offers a comprehensive and very competitive package of insurance programs to regular full-time employees and their eligible dependents the first of the month following their date of hire. The insurance package includes medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life. Additional insurances, at no cost to the employee: life (employee only), accidental death and dismemberment, business travel and accident, and short- and long-term disability are also provided. Employees pay a share of Dewberry’s premium expenses (on a pre-tax basis) for medical and dental insurance plans.

Dewberry offers a wide range of other employee benefits, including: 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan, 529 College Savings Plans, Travel Assistance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Spending Accounts and Supplemental Life Insurance for employee, spouse, and children.

Positions within our officer program are also eligible for an annual bonus and monthly stipend.  Both vary based on level within the program and bonuses are dependent upon company and individual performance. Certain positions are also eligible to receive overtime pay, whereas all non-exempt positions are eligible for overtime (subject to approval).

In addition, a host of discounted purchase programs are available to all employees.

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.

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field from an accredited university  

• Minimum of 5 years of full-time professional experience in 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.  

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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.