Oregon data centers are hiring guards. They hope to find 300 in Tri-Cities
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- First Coast Security seeks 300 unarmed guards for Oregon data centers.
- WorkSource Washington hosts hiring fair July 28 in Kennewick for applicants.
- Workers earning $19 hourly may owe $3,400 in Oregon state income taxes.
A company that provides security guards hopes to hire 300 Tri-Citians to fill open positions at data centers in Hermiston, Umatilla and Boardman in Northeast Oregon.
The firm has been hiring “nonstop” for five years, exhausting the Oregon talent pool, Eric Espain, a First Coast Security executive, told the Tri-City Herald.
He said the current workforce is short about 300 guards.
“So our next target is Tri-Cities as it has about 3-4 times the populations of Hermiston, Boardman and Umatilla,” he said.
WorkSource Washington is hosting a job fair for First Coast Security from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday, July 28, at its Kennewick office, 815 N. Kellogg St. Starting pay is $19 an hour and no appointments are necessary.
He did not identify their client, but Amazon Web Services operates several data centers and is constructing a new complex at the Port of Morrow, about 50 miles south of Kennewick.
The $12 billion project is adding five new data centers to its existing four in the town of nearly 5,000 along Interstate 84 and the Columbia River.
FCS guards are unarmed and are assigned to patrol sites, monitor surveillance equipment, inspect buildings and equipment as well as access points.
They report suspicious situations, enforce policies and watch for trespassers. They also provide crowd control during medical incidents, fires or other emergencies.
The company is also seeking unarmed guards to focus on securing control rooms.
Oregon levies an 8.75% income tax on most mid-level income earned in the state. Workers pay income taxes even if they do not live in Oregon. For a full-time worker earning $19 an hour, the tax bill is about $3,400 annually in addition to a base fee.
Candidates are advised to dress professionally and be ready to interview. Resumes are not required, but may be sent in advance to Espain, eespain@fcssecurity.us.
You must be 18 or older and legally authorized to work in the U.S. Candidates also must be a high school graduate or hold a GED. Background checks will be conducted.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 12:56 PM.