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Airplane Pilot

Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
NA-15 Office of Secure Transportation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located Office of Secure Transportation (OST), Office of Program Integration (OPI), Aviation Operations Division. Serves as a Pilot in Command and/or Co-Pilot of a 737-400 aircraft in support of the OST mission.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open date: 06/19/2019
Closed date: 07/15/2019
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$139,945 - $159,044 per year
Pay scale & grade
NQ 03
Promotion potential
03
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Competitive Service
Travel Required
50% or less - 50% travel is required for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Q Access Authorization
Announcement number
19-XA-01184-GOV
Control number
537008800

Duties

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As an Airplane Pilot, you will:

  • Provide pilot services as a Pilot in Command or Co-Pilot of 737-400 (and potentially DC-9) aircraft transporting personnel and classified cargo both domestically and internationally.
  • Participate in Emergency Response exercises, and perform on-call pilot/duty officer duties for usually not less than 7 days per month or as directed to support mission requirements.
  • Plan aviation missions through a broad spectrum of contingency operations.
  • Transport explosives, weapons, armed couriers and large amounts of radiological materials.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Subject to Random Drug Testing
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
  • Favorable suitability determination required.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:   

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
  • A one year probationary period may be required.
  • More than one position may be filled from this vacancy announcement.
  • PCS costs will not be paid.
  • Must be U.S. Citizen
  • Verification of your identity and employment eligibility under the provisions of Employment Verification (E-Verify)
  • Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification
  • Male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service
  • A one year probationary period may be required
  • This position is covered under the Human Reliability Program (HRP)
  • Occasional exposure to potential dangers from explosives and radioactive and toxic materials
  • The position requires travel outside of the duty station on a regular basis 50% of the time.
  • This position is covered under the Hearing Conservation Program.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate and 737 Type Rating
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a Class II Medical Certificate

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:  A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level NQ-02, or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience actively flying cargo and/or personnel in a large transport category aircraft with recency of flight in the past12 months (100 hrs.) and a minimum of 250 PIC flight hours and 1500 total flight time.  Must have over 1500 flight hours in B-737, DC-9, C-40, or similar cargo or passenger type aircraft (over 70,000 lbs.). Experience leading aviation operations to include assigning aircrew for missions, validating mission requests, and authorizing missions and training requests.

Examples of qualifying experience include but are not limited to:

Flying large jet aircraft as a Pilot in Command or Second in Command for airline, cargo, or corporate operation or experience as a military pilot; which included flight planning, weight and balance calculation, and self-dispatch.

SELECTIVE FACTORS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION:  Applicants must meet the OPM minimum qualification standard and any identified selective factors. Applicants who do not meet the selective factor identified below will be rated ineligible for further consideration. The selective factor for this position has been defined as: FAA Type Rating (any aircraft over 70,000 lbs in a passenger/cargo type aircraft). Must have over 1500 flight hours in B-737, DC-9, C-40, C-130, or similar cargo or passenger type aircraft.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Candidates for all pilot positions, must possess a current first or second-class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations at the time of initial appointment.
 
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum eligibility requirements for positions in this occupation are based on possession of the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificates and/or appropriate military ratings, meeting the applicable flight hour requirements, and possession of the knowledge and skills required for the positions.

CERTIFICATES AND RATINGS:
For all grade levels and specializations, candidates must possess a current Commercial Pilot Certificate, Airline Transport Pilot or the appropriate military rating; both meet the intent of the requirement. The pilot certificate must include the rating(s) appropriate to the work of the position to be filled. Note: Candidates establishing eligibility based on military flight experience must provide official orders, forms, or log books showing their status as a rated military pilot, flight instructor, or flight examiner, as appropriate. Other certificates that meet or exceed the requirements of the Commercial Pilot Certificate are also acceptable, e.g., an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.

FLIGHT-EXPERIENCE:
Candidates must demonstrate possession of the knowledge and skills required for the work by meeting certain minimum flight hour requirements, including recency of flight experience. 


MINIMUM FLIGHT HOUR REQUIREMENT:
Total Flight Time: 1500 hours. Flight time as pilot-in-command or copilot in aircraft of any weight or category is creditable for this requirement. For in-service placement actions, up to one-fourth of the total flight hours may be waived for candidates who have demonstrated possession of the knowledge and skills needed to perform the work, provided:

  • They hold the certificates and ratings required;
  • They have acquired the pilot-in-command hours and flight hours in other categories essential to performance of the work;
  • They meet the requirements in terms of level and quality of experience; and
  • Their flying history indicates they are qualified for the position.

Pilot-In-Command: 250 hours. Only flight hours acquired as pilot-in-command are creditable.

Night Flying: 75 hours. For in-service placement actions at the GS-11 level and above, 25 hours may be waived if they candidate demonstrates the ability to perform the work.

Flying Time, Last 12 months: 100 hours.  The flight hours specified apply to competitive appointments. For in-service placement actions, up to one-half of the flight hours may be waived provided the individual's total background reflects the ability to perform the duties of the position safely. For positions flying both helicopters and airplane, at least one-fourth of the total hours must be in either category of aircraft.
 
Multi-Engine Airplane: 500 hours. This position requires operation of heavy multi-engine airplanes (i.e., gross takeoff weight in excess of 70,000 pounds) at least 50 percent of the flight hours must have been in such heavy airplanes, except as indicated below. Up to 250 hours flying time acquired in heavy helicopters (gross takeoff weight in excess of 12,500 pounds) may be substituted. For Airspace System Inspection Pilot positions with the FAA, experience may have been either light or heavy multi-engine airplanes.

Instrument: 75 hours. At least 10 of the required hours must have been logged in actual instrument weather. The balance may have been acquired in a flight simulator or as other types of instrument flight time, e.g., hood instrument. 

Provide a FAA form 3330-47-3 to document the above flight hours at this link: https://jobs.faa.gov/forms/3330473.pdf. To protect your personal information SSN and DOB may be left blank. 
 
Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

KSA 1 - Must have FAA Type Rating (any aircraft over 70,000 lbs. MGTOW and/or Military Aircraft Commander Qualification (as shown in military flight records) in a passenger/cargo type aircraft with a MGTOW over 70,000 lbs.

KSA 2 - Knowledge of aviation and flight operations in U.S. and international environments, developing comprehensive flight plans, obtaining diplomatic clearances, weather information, coordinating support services, and flight services.

KSA 3 - Skill in conducting Part 135, 125 and 91 flight operations in U.S. and international environments, developing comprehensive flight plans, to include obtaining diplomatic clearances, weather information, coordinating support services and flight clearances.

KSA 4 - Knowledge of Pilot and Check Airman standards in order to administer proficiency and line checks to other pilots in the organization and to conduct functional check flights as a maintenance pilot.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Time-in-Grade/Band: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration.

CTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience in this position.

 

Additional information

  • The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  • If you believe that you are eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP), please visit the OPM CTAP website here. for more information. In order to be considered under the CTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
  • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
  • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
  • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

EEO Policy:  Click HERE.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy:  Click HERE.
Veterans Information:   Click HERE.
Telework:  Click HERE. 
Selective Service Registration: Click HERE. 
Information about the NNSA Demonstration project can be found by clicking HERE.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

We will also verify that you are eligible for Merit Promotion positions by reviewing your previous Federal employment to ensure you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. If you are eligible to apply to Merit Promotion announcements based on Veteran or other non-competitive statuses, we will verify your supporting documentation prior to referral.

Your performance appraisals and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other applicants.  Please submit your two (2) most recent performance appraisals with your application.

If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.


To preview questions please click here.

National Nuclear Security Administration

Would you like to play a key role in a critical mission?  If so, then the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Secure Transportation (OST), Office of Program Integration (OPI), Aviation Operations Division (AOD), has a great opportunity for an Airplane Pilot.  The OST provides safe and secure transportation of nuclear weapons, components and materials.  You will utilize your expertise to fly 737-400 aircraft to include domestic and international flying and plan aviation missions through a broad spectrum of contingency operations.

Agency contact information

Job Information Center
Phone
505-845-4126
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
Teresa.inch@nnsa.doe.gov
Address
National Nuclear Security Administration
P.O. Box 5400
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-5400
United States

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