Also called: FCO, Senior Disaster Official
The top federal official leading the U.S. government's response to a major declared disaster.
After a presidential disaster declaration, the FCO runs the joint field office, directing federal aid, temporary housing, and rebuilding money, and works shoulder-to-shoulder with state officials. They can spend months in a disaster zone.
Federal pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 15 years after high school. Many years of disaster experience; federal qualification.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Emergency Management, Public Administration.
Growing slowly. Very few positions.
Low risk for 10 years. AI sorts aid data; leading the federal response alongside governors stays human.
Classes: Government / Civics, Speech, Economics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9161.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.