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Airway Transportation Systems Specialist

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
ATO, WSA, Los Angeles District, SO CAL TRACON Group, San Diego ENV SSC, WWV32-SCT
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Airway Transportation Systems Specialist (ATSS) at this level is recognized as the subject matter expert in their field. All duties of an ATSS are tied to maintaining safe and efficient operating capacity of the vast and complex network of electronics systems required for the world's largest air traffic control and navigation system.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/28/2025 to 06/18/2025
Salary
$102,409 to - $158,720 per year

Salary includes locality rate of 33.72%.

Pay scale & grade
FV I
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
San Diego, CA
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time-to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
No
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This is a bargaining unit position, represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (http://www.passnational.org).
Announcement number
AWP-ATO-25-BAR3077-95202
Control number
837634600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent FAA employees within ATO, AMA-400 and AML.

Duties

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Serves as an ATSS (Systems Specialist - Environmental/Power Systems), responsible for performing a variety of functions directly related to the operation of the NAS.

ATSS personnel Install, evaluate, maintain, modify and certify facilities, services and equipment that support the National Airspace System (NAS). They are also responsible for various duties that contribute to providing reliable and safe FAA services to the flying public.

Focus is on the availability and reliability of the services and products provided to users of the NAS. Provides the highest organizational level of technical support associated with analyzing, designing, developing, installing, repairing, fabricating, maintaining, modifying, or evaluating the most complex systems for which the FAA is responsible.

Performs work of broad scope and complexity with a high degree of independence. Incumbent is recognized as a principal technical specialist on legacy and newly developed systems within a large facility or multiple facilities over a large geographical area. Work requires maintaining technical expertise on complex systems and/or emerging technology, systems interrelationships and management of the NAS.

Provides training, mentoring, guidance and advice to other employees, technicians, and trainees regarding difficult technical or operational issues. Can be called upon to assist with repair and/or restore service or systems, providing guidance on the availability of backup systems, and to upward report the status of critical events. Established policies and procedures furnish guidance for most assignments, but considerable discretion is allowed to select the most appropriate approach or to develop new solutions. Focuses on overall NAS systems performance and causes of system degradation. Collaborates with system users, planners, engineers, and contractor personnel for acceptance of new or modified systems and provide assistance for resolving problems with the installation or improvements.

Contacts are both internal and external to the FAA. Represents the organization as the primary technical point of contact on projects, programs, and other work activities to coordinate and implement plans or to obtain information and resolve problems. Contacts are to provide technical guidance and direction for multiple systems, advice for interpretations of orders, certification examiner, or serves as the Contractor's Office Technical Representative (COTR/Technical Office Representative (TOR) on major projects or programs. Meets and consults with representatives of external organizations such as DoD, airport management, contractors, and utility companies, to resolve problems of mutual concern and to elicit cooperation and action favorable to FAA needs.

Provides appropriate systems and service certification as required by agency policy and guidelines. Decisions and recommendations involve major segments of the NAS which extend beyond District boundaries. Initiates action for the timely repair or restoration of services and systems, taking into account the availability of backup systems, possible reconfigurations to minimize service interruptions, and relative criticality of particular functions to the safe and efficient operations of services and systems throughout the area of geographic responsibility of the position.

Integrates Operational Risk Management (ORM) into all planned activities ensuring that all customers and users of services are included and involved in implementation and planning. Fully understands and utilizes proper Personal Protective Equipment and personal safety practices when engaged in all restoration and maintenance activities helping to set the example of safe work practices for others in the organization.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Incumbent must possess a valid driver's license.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents).
  • Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
  • A valid state driver's license is required

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience at the level of difficulty and responsibility that demonstrates an extensive knowledge of and experience in technology system interrelationships, and management of civilian or military automated aviation, navigation and electronics systems. Generally, experience at the next lower level, pay band FV-H/level III or FG/GS-12 equivalent, meets the minimum qualifications for this position as long as the experience supports the demonstrated abilities.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on these factors and the Demonstrated Abilities 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.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Demonstrated Abilities:
You MUST provide a NARRATIVE statement for each Demonstrated Ability and Quality Ranking Factor. The narratives should be clear and concise, providing a description of your education, training and experience that would describe the degree to which you possess each Demonstrated Ability. Candidates must show experience at the level of difficulty and responsibility appropriate to the position.

Eligible candidates will be ranked based on DEMONSTRATED ABILITIES and QUALITY RANKING FACTORS, if applicable.

Failure to respond on-line to the demonstrative abilities will prevent you from receiving further consideration.

Supervisor Endorsement: A supervisory statement endorsing the applicant for this announcement is required by the closing date of this announcement. The endorsement must include the announcement number. Please upload your document(s) with your application by the closing date of the announcement. A Supervisor's Endorsement can be a memorandum or regionally generated form, and must include the announcement number. Candidates who are not endorsed by their supervisor will not be considered.

For in-grade/downgrade candidates, a supervisor's endorsement is not required. To obtain the supervisory endorsement form or memo, please contact your manager.

NOTE: Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience at a later stage in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during that application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

Qualifications must be met by closing date of announcement.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

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. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

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.

If the Agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed.

Security Requirements: Moderate (5): This position requires completion & favorable adjudication of a Tier 2 (T2) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained and approved.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

How you will be evaluated

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



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.

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