What are the responsibilities and job description for the First Opportunity Program: Public Safety Agent position at Oregon Metro?
Position Summary
Hello, we are Metro! Metro is dedicated to shaping a better future for the greater Portland region. The work the people of Metro do every day benefits the lives of the people who live here, today, and tomorrow.
Join the Oregon Convention Center Department of Public Safety as a Public Safety Agent and be part of a team committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment for everyone who visits, works, and hosts events at the OCC. In this role, you will have the opportunity to make a real impact each day by supporting the safety and comfort of a diverse community while helping ensure every guest has a positive experience.
The Oregon Convention Center is a 24-hour, seven-day a-week operation that supports a wide variety of events, visitors, staff, and vendors. This role offers consistent hands-on experience in both safety and customer service, allowing you to develop strong communication, observation, and problem-solving skills in a highly visible, people-centered environment. You will be part of a supportive team made up of individuals with a range of backgrounds.
In this position, you will receive ongoing development opportunities designed to help you build confidence and expand your skill set. As industry practices evolve, you will continue learning and gaining experience that prepares you for long term growth in safety related roles.
If you are interested in pursuing a future in public service such as Police, Fire, EMS, Emergency Dispatch, or Social Work, this role offers a strong foundation to build your experience, strengthen your fundamentals, and explore your career path while contributing to a team that values service, professionalism, and community.
As a Public Safety Agent, you will:
- Represent OCC as a first-impression ambassador by offering warm greetings, clear directions and effective problem-solving for event attendees. The focus is on delivering outstanding customer service at every interaction.
- Be responsible for ensuring that events remain safe. Assist guests with wayfinding and event information.
- Assist with safe and efficient evacuations when needed.
- Monitor assigned areas and respond to suspicious activity with other Agents.
- Coordinates with Portland Police Bureau, Portland Fire & Rescue, and Paramedics during emergency responses.
- Use a computer and/or mobile device to complete reports, receive assignments, review policies, protocols and stay informed on current directives to ensure quality in an ever-changing environment.
- Arrests individuals violating state laws and collaborates with local law enforcement and prosecutors to support legal proceedings.
- Manage crowd control and provide initial response during medical or emergency situations.
- Additional opportunities and event specific assignments are available (with additional training) in patrol functions, dispatching, environmental safety, training and more.
Attributes for success:
- Dependable, trustworthy, professional, who is honest and enjoys interacting with the public and in a team of public safety professionals.
- Ability to deliver outstanding customer service and interact in a positive and respectful way with the public.
- Proven ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with co-workers across all departments.
- Knowledge of, or a passion for, event safety and security.
- Skilled in administering First Aid, CPR, AED, crowd control and coordinating emergency services.
- Proficient in providing clear and concise written documentation of incidents in on-scene notes and the subsequent report.
- Able to deliver clear and concise verbal debriefs of incidents to managers and first responders.
- Willingness and ability to learn purpose-built computer programs including video management software, report writing systems, dispatching and computer-aided dispatching user interfaces.
- Capable of reading and following building floor plans, policies, procedures, protocols, directives and briefings.
- Ability to remain calm and professional in emergency situations while coordinating a response.
- Skilled in effectively de-escalating tense situations, including people in crisis or agitated/obstinate individuals.
- Physically able to run over one-third of a mile on varying surfaces and terrain, both incline and decline (including stairs) during an emergency incident.
- Capability of completing and issuing Multnomah County parking citations.
- Able to read and comprehend fire alarm system panel to determine location of a fire.
- Ability to protect oneself and/or defend others from imminent physical harm and exercise sound judgement when determining the appropriate intervention, based on a dynamic situations.
- Availability to work dayshift, swing shift, nightshift, weekends, holidays and urgent requests as needed.
- Experienced in reading, following, and applying security policies, procedures, and post orders; as well as review and communicate post orders via email as needed.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
At Metro, we strive to cultivate diversity, advance equity, and practice inclusion in all of its work. This means attracting and empowering a workforce that is inclusive of a broad range of human qualities. Workplace diversity is both a moral imperative and a business strength, essential to providing quality support and services to our region. Metro’s goal is to hire, develop and retain highly skilled and talented individuals across all departments and programs who best reflect the diversity of our community.
Learn more about how Metro is advancing diversity
TO QUALIFY
We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific in your application materials on how your background is relevant.
Minimum qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED and;
- At least 18 years of age and;
- One year of responsible experience in providing security for a large facility, customer service, crowd management, events, or;
- Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.
- Successful completion of a Metro and DPSST background check
- Ability to successfully complete a Human Performance Exam that simulates common physical tasks performed for this position prior to hire.
- Has (or qualifies and completes) a DPSST Unarmed Security Professional Certification.
Shift and schedule: Night Shift: Tuesday – Thursday 12pm – 8am and Friday – Saturday 10pm – 6am; 40 hours per week.
Working Conditions:
In this role you will work in both indoor and outdoor environments, often exposed to varying weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold. The role requires prolonged periods of standing, walking, and occasional running, as well as physical activities such as crawling, kneeling, and climbing. Candidates should be prepared for physically demanding tasks while maintaining a high level of awareness and responsiveness in dynamic situations.
If this statement is true for you, then you may be ineligible to apply
Like to have qualifications
You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider them when identifying the most qualified candidates. Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience, including the military, or life experience that are relevant for this position.
- Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certificate.
- First Aid/Stop-the-bleed.
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification.
- Current DPSST Unarmed Security Professional Certification
- Two(2) years working with events, particularly in security, public safety , or problem-solving roles.
- Experience reviewing and enacting policies and procedures.
SCREENING AND EVALUATION
The application packet:
- Complete online application with all relevant experience listed
- Responses to supplemental questions
- Initial review of minimum qualifications.
- In-depth evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates.
- Consideration of candidates with a remote interview.
- Consideration of top candidates with an in-person interview.
- Reference checks (must provide at least three references).
Background, driving records check, human performance exam for finalist candidate.
COMPENSATION AND REPRESENTATION
The full salary range for this position is step1: $27.98 per hour, to step 7: $37.50 per hour. However, unless a candidate’s qualifications justify, based on the Oregon Pay Equity Act requirements and Metro’s internal equity review process, the appointment will likely be made at step 1: $27.98 per hour, to step 4: $32.39 per hour.
This position is eligible for overtime and is represented by ILWU 28. It is classified as a Facility Security Agent.
Classification descriptions are typically written broadly and do not include the specific duties and responsibilities of the positions. View the classification description.
Questions?
Additional Information
Accommodation
Veterans' preference
Hybrid Telework
Online applications
How to Apply
Government Jobs
Metro
Led by an elected council, this unique government gives all residents of greater Portland a voice in shaping the future and provides parks, venues, services, and tools at a regional scale. We find solutions for our area’s garbage and recycling that protect clean air and water; help plan land use and development to provide jobs and safe transportation; manage local venues that provide a connection to arts and culture and help keep the economy growing; protect 17,000 acres of parks and natural areas, and run the Oregon Zoo, to keep nature close to home.
The Oregon Convention Center and Metro
The Oregon Convention Center is the largest convention facility in the Pacific Northwest, attracting out-of-town visitors to national conventions, tradeshows and meetings, and local people to special events. The convention center’s roughly 160 employees host more than 1 million visitors each year.
As part of the Metro family, you play a vital role in serving the people of the greater Portland region.
Family members, including eligible spouses, domestic partners, and children, are covered under most of our benefits programs. Benefits vary depending on position and full-time, part-time, and variable hour status.
This is a budgeted, regular status position with a full-time schedule. The position is eligible for these benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision health insurance
- Paid sick leave
- Paid vacation, holiday, and other leave
- Paid parental leave
- Full contribution to Oregon PERS retirement
- No-cost TriMet Hop Pass
- Employee Assistance Program
- Training opportunities
- Flexible schedules depending on position and department
- Hybrid/Telework living in Oregon /Washington depending on position and department
Metro also offers a variety of perks for all employees, including free admission to the Oregon Zoo (including ZooLights!), Oxbow and Blue Lake Regional Parks, membership discount at Lloyd Athletic Club, credit union eligibility and more. Employees also receive access to financial wellness and legal consultation services, as well as first-time home buying and ownership counseling.
Learn more about employee benefits.
Some positions are represented by a union and have additional benefits.
View union contracts here.
Salary : $28 - $38