Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness), Principal Avionics Inspector

About the role

The Principal Avionics Inspector (PAI) is responsible for applying knowledge of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) for the development and implementation of standards, programs, and procedures for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) field personnel and the public governing all matters to air carrier avionics safety issues.

What you will do

• The PAI receives administrative direction from management in terms of broadly defined missions or functions.
• The PAI, mostly independently plans, designs, and carries out programs, projects, studies, or other work.
• The PAI provides policy assistance to regional and field level Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) on difficult or complex policy interpretations.
• The work is normally accepted without change.
• Completed work may be reviewed for adherence to FAA policy and for assurance that project requirements have been fulfilled.
• ASIs at the FG-13 level issue certificates to and monitor (1) a large and complex aviation organization or (2)a number of smaller organizations that, together, are comparable in complexity to one large one.
• They are the primary contact point with the aviation organization(s).
• They may decide on issuance of the original certificates.
• They evaluate and decide upon proposals to change the authorized programs of the organizations.
• They continuously monitor the activities of organizations to determine whether they are following their authorized program, Federal regulations, and good safety practices.
• (By comparison GS-12employees issue certificates to small and uncomplicated organizations.) FG-13 assignments are characterized by one or more of the following: 1.
• Multiengine turboprop or turbojet aircraft or the complex avionics equipment associated with such aircraft;2.
• A variety of flight or maintenance operations with diverse types of aircraft which may include turbine powered aircraft; or3.Novel and complex aviation operations.
• (By comparison, similar assignments at the GS-12 level involve smaller turboprop or large piston-engine aircraft.) FG-13 employees plan and conduct their assignments with substantial technical independence.
• They receive administrative and policy guidance from their supervisors and policy makers.
• They also obtain technical advice from higher-level inspectors who are experts on a particular type of aircraft or who have overall program responsibility.
• They independently plan and carry out a work program to meet the needs and monitor the activities of the organizations for which they have certification responsibility.
• The scope and complexity of the work program may be such as to require the occasional assistance of other employees to conduct inspections and evaluate operations.
• The PAI applies a mastery knowledge level of the appropriate specialization and a broad knowledge of the line of business mission and goals to assigned programs and areas of responsibility.
• The PAI plans and directs the use of time and resources to accomplish organizational objectives.
• He or she defines, organizes, and uses resources to accomplish work activities within established schedules, analyzes program requirements and accomplishments, and makes or directs adjustments as necessary to address organizational needs.
• Guidelines and precedents are frequently inadequate for dealing with novel or complex operations.
• FG-13 employees understand and apply the basic principles of aviation safety and interpret the intent of the regulations.
• FG-13 employees¿ contacts are frequently with owners and top managers of aviation corporations and involve negotiating and resolving the full range of issues and problems that confront large aviation organizations.
• Occasionally issues are controversial, arousing considerable public interest.
• ASIs at the FG-13 level participate extensively in the certification inspection and surveillance of highly complex air carrier operations where principal program responsibility is vested in an aviation safety inspector of higher grade.
• These FG-13 employees have broad authority to negotiate with carrier management and make technical determinations within the coverage of approved specifications and policy manuals.
• The PAI provides guidance to field level staff to solve difficult technical issues.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.

How you will be evaluated

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Documents you must provide

• Only supplemental documentation, e.g., transcripts or veteran's documentation will be accepted in combination with your on-line application.
• These documents must be uploaded with your application or faxed to *** on or before the closing date of this announcement.
• All submitted documents should reference the announcement number.
• If you are an FAA employee, you MUST provide a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) containing information in Blocks 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 24 so it can be used to verify your position title, series, grade, tenure, and organization of record by the closing date of the announcement.
• You may fax your SF-50 or upload it into the on-line application.
• If faxing the SF-50, please ensure you include the vacancy announcement number on the faxed copy.
• If you are an FAA employee, you can access and print your SF-50 from the eOPF system ***

What to expect next

Once we receive your complete application, the Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Eligible and qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. You will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

For instructions on how to check the status of your application, please go to: USAJOBS Help Guide. Important - If you make any changes to your application, you must resubmit it. If you make changes to your application and do not resubmit it, your changes will not be considered part of your application package, and only your previously submitted application will be evaluated.

All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request.

Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions. Position may be subject to a background investigation. A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty.

FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. *** As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements.

Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA. In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA.

Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA); listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

You must apply outline to receive consideration for this position.

Faxed or emailed applications/resumes will not be accepted. Work history must state job titles including specialty, series and grade level held. No references will be make from your Personnel Files, so information must be current and up to date.

Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job. All or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

Ingrade/Downgrade applications will be accepted. Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA