Aviation Safety and Compliance Inspector (Rotary Wing Operations)

About the role

This position is an Aviation Safety and Compliance Inspector (Rotary Wing Operations), GS-1801-12/13 working for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. This position is also open to the public under announcement WFSDE-26-13049420-AME-H.

You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

The announcement was amended to include the Pilot in Command (PIC) minimum flight hours as well as the certificate and ratings.

What you will do

• Evaluates the capabilities of private contractors to perform point-to-point, investigation, special use and precision reconnaissance flights and issues initial qualification cards for mission specific applications, of which, requires advanced pilot skills and maneuvers.
• Provides technical aviation assistance to the Department of Interior's Bureaus and Offices for evolving or changing programs that require aircraft support.
• Maintains a program of recurring visits involving personal contacts with Bureau personnel supervising operations and aviation operators providing contractual services.
• Evaluates qualifications of employees responsible for management and technical supervision of aircraft operations, capability of management's control of aircraft operations, government and operator working relationships, and level of user-Bureau satisfaction with services provided by WFS.
• Leads or conducts surveillance and inspection of DOI's fleet aircraft and contractor maintenance facilities, to ensure compliance with department regulations, contract specifications, and quality control plans.
• Serves as the Team Member for the aircraft rental agreement renewal process for all contractor and cooperating Federal, State, and local agency aviation operations for an assigned geographical area.
• Serves as the point of contact for arranging the inspection and coordinating with WFS authorized inspectors and the Forest Service.
• The employee will serve as Pilot in Command (PIC) on DOI rotor-wing aircraft, perform flight evaluations and surveillance of contracted rotor-wing pilots, and flight evaluations and training of DOI fleet pilots.
• Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment.
• In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• Valid first or second-class medical certificate, required.
• Selectees may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if they are maintaining the fitness standards for this position.
• This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties.
• Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position.
• A condition of employment for accepting this position, you MAY be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
• Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: This position is subject to a financial disclosure requirement, and you will be required to complete either OGE Form 278e or OGE Form 450 as applicable within 30 days of your appointment.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• To verify registration, visit ***
• Selectees will be expected to travel in small single-engine and multi-engine aircraft.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home multiple times per month.
• You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible.

All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position. Once the application process is complete, HR will review your application to ensure you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications.

To determine if you are minimally qualified for this position, HR will complete a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire.

If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications requirement(s), this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Review: This assessment will measure the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform in the position.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies: Partnering - Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.

Leadership - Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.

Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters.

Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance. In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals.

Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement.

Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Documents you must provide

• You must submit a complete application package.
• The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/28/2026.
• Resumes must show relevant experience and other information.
• Your resume MUST list your education and work experience including (1) the dates (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) work experience duties listed under each job entry.
• In addition, Civil Service employees must provide their current OPM title, series, and grade.
• If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly show how long you were working in each grade level.
• Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s).
• Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility.
• No assumptions will be made about your experience and/or education.
• You are welcome to submit a cover letter.
• Resumes must also include name and how to best contact you, including email address and phone number.
• Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
• In describing your experience, please be clear and specific.
• Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume and/or OPM Resume Writing Tips.
• In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable: 2.
• Current/Prior Federal Employee: SF-50: (non-award), or equivalent Notification of Personnel Action if you are a current or former Federal employee.
• Your SF-50 (non-award) must show tenure code 1 or 2 in block 24, and position occupied code 1 (competitive service) in block 34.
• If you have previously held a higher grade than the grade/position you currently occupy, you must submit a copy of the last non-award SF-50 you received for that position.
• Note: Federal employees who have reinstatement eligibility please review the How to Apply for Reinstatement page for all required documents.
• If you have any questions regarding which SF-50's to submit, it is highly recommended that you contact the person listed on this vacancy announcement before the closing date.
• 3.Documentation that you meet ALL of the Pilot-In-Command (PIC) Minimum Flight Experience and Selective Factors mentioned in the Qualifications section above.
• Performance Appraisal: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years.
• Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official.
• The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.
• If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available.
• Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.
• Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as: Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15.
• If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
• If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
• If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15.
• You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from *** or call *** to establish proof of disability. **Required Documents continued in How To Apply.

What to expect next

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified via USAJOBS of a status change (i.e., referred, not referred, not eligible, not qualified, etc.).

Note, you must login to your USAJOBS profile to view details of the status change. Information regarding how to see your application status can be found in the USAJOBS Help Center. If referred and further evaluation or interviews are required, you may be contacted by the hiring officials for the location in which you are referred.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.

If you were not referred and/or have questions or concerns regarding your rating determination or referral status, in the interest of time, please submit your inquiry in writing within seven (7) calendar days of receiving a Notice of Results and Referral notification email. Inquiries may be submitted to contact listed on this announcement.

Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry. You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.

Additional information

In order to be considered for any duty location, ensure desired locations are selected. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected. Career-Ladder Promotion: This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-13.

If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

PCS Information: No PCS entitlements authorized. Incentives: If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed.

Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

Under completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant. Physical Demands: The work requires moderate physical activities associated with conducting in-flight pilot evaluations and helicopter operational assessments.

Duties include extended periods of sitting in aircraft cockpits, manipulating flight controls, boarding and exiting helicopters in field environments, and climbing on our around aircraft during inspections. in-flight evaluations may involve turbulence, low-level flight, confined area operations, and variable weather conditions, which may result in periods of increased physical and mental stress.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in a combination of office settings, aviation facilities, aircraft hangars, helicopter cockpits, and outdoor environments. Field inspections and in-flight evaluations involve aircraft noise, moving rotor systems, aviation fuels, and mechanical equipment.

In-flight pilot evaluations and operational assessments may involve turbulence, lo-level flight, confined area operations and variable weather conditions. outdoor duties may occur in remote or austere environments and include heat, cold, wind, smoke, dust, and uneven terrain. Appropriate safety procdures and protective equipment are required.

Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area. Reasonable Accommodation: The USWFS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.