Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Aviation Safety and Compliance Specialist (Rotary Wing Operations)

Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Office of Aviation Services, Alaska Regional Office, Aviation Safety Compliance Division
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/24/2025 to 12/15/2025
Salary
$109,774 to - $190,016 per year

First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Locations
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Anchorage, AK
Boise, ID
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
OS-6054-25-ETA-111(DEU)
Control number
850735800

Duties

Help

This position is located in the Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of the Secretary, Office of Aviation Services (OAS), Alaska Regional Office, Aviation Safety Compliance (ASC) division to be filled in Boise, ID, or Anchorage, AK.

At the full performance level GS-13 the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:
1. 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.
2. Provides technical aviation assistance to the Department of Interior's Bureaus and Offices for evolving or changing programs that require aircraft support.
3. Maintains a program of recurring visits involving personal contacts with Bureau personnel supervising operations and aviation operators providing contractual services.
4. 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 OAS.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Serves as the point of contact for arranging the inspection and coordinating with OAS authorized inspectors and the Forest Service.

This position is included in a bargaining unit. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Local 2052, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit.

Travel: You may be expected to travel for site visits, meetings, training, conferences and field visits. The travel requirement is generally higher from January through June and may require 10 or more nights per month. Travel is significantly less July through December. Frequent travel to Alaska and Hawaii is expected.

Salary Information (Special Rate Table):
Anchorage, AK
GS-12: $122,916 - 159,798 per year.
GS-13: $146,165 - 190,016 per year.

Boise, ID
GS-12: $109,774 - 142,712 per year.
GS-13: $130,536 - 169,699 per year.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

This vacancy is also announced as OS-6054-25-ETA-112(MP) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Merit Promotion procedures.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
  3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  4. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
  5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, you must meet the (1) Aviation Operations (Rotary Wing) Requirements and (2) Specialized Experience for the grade to which you are applying.

(1) Aviation Operations (Rotary Wing) Requirements:

  1. Valid second-class (or greater) medical certificate.
  2. Valid, unexpired *Flight Instructor Certificate with Rotorcraft Helicopter ratings.
    • *Applicants who possess an alternate Flight Instructor Certificate rating, i.e., a Flight Instructor Certificate with Airplane ratings, may be considered; however, appropriate Rotorcraft Helicopter ratings must be obtained within 90 days of employment. Failure to obtain the required certification may result in termination.
  3. Commercial Helicopter Pilot Rating with Instrument or Airline Transport Pilot with Helicopter Rating.
  4. No more than 2 flying accidents in the last 5 years in which the applicant's error was involved.
  5. Minimum of 1,500 total flight hours.
  6. Possess 1200 hours of Pilot in Command (PIC) time in category.
  7. 25 hours PIC night in category.
  8. Minimum of 100 flight hours PIC Turbine Powered Helicopters.
NOTE: Please include any previous experience flown as a PIC. Your application and/or resume must contain all mandatory flight requirements listed. Failure to include the information will result in an ineligible rating.
You are required to submit proof of the certificates and ratings with your initial application. Failure to provide documentation will result in disqualification from consideration for this position.

(2) Specialized Experience
To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:
1) Operational experience flying rotor-wing aircraft in natural resource missions; AND
2) Administering flight checks in for rotor-wing aircrafts.
MUST MEET ALL

To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:
1) Operational experience flying rotor-wing aircraft in natural resource missions;
2) Administering flight checks in rotor-wing aircraft; AND
3) Conducting rotor-wing pilot proficiency evaluations.
MUST MEET ALL

YOUR RESUME MUST INCLUDE A CLEAR AND DETAILED NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, OF HOW YOU MEET THE REQUIRED SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE.

Additional Requirements
Driver's License: You must possess a valid Alaska or other state driver's license. ** You may be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid Alaska or other state driver's license. **You are required to submit proof of the driver's license with your initial application.

Additional Information
Work Environment: The work is performed in an office setting, aircraft hangars, aircraft cockpits, and outdoors. When pilot check flights are performed and actual emergency conditions are simulated, the employee may be subjected to considerable stress and extreme heat or cold weather conditions.

Physical Demands: The work requires moderate physical activity of short duration such as associated with flying in adverse weather conditions and when evaluating advance pilot skills in special use or low- level investigation missions.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period (as applicable) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. You are being evaluated under the Category Rating method, which means, if you are determined to be qualified you will be placed in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "Platinum", "Gold", and "Silver". Candidates placed in the "Platinum" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

If you are determined to be qualified based on your application materials, you may be invited to participate in a structured interview. This interview will be conducted by a panel of subject-matter experts and will assess your proficiency in the competencies listed in this job announcement. Participation in the structured interview is a critical part of the selection process. Falsifying your background, education, or experience may result in removal from further consideration.

A Structured Interview will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Flight Systems: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories related to the development, design, test, and evaluation of aerospace flight vehicles and their component subsystems, or their related external systems.
  • Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, cooperation, concern, and politeness to others; relates well to different people from varied backgrounds and different situations.
  • Pilot Evaluations Inspection: Uses knowledge, skills, and advanced understanding of aviation concepts, gained through extensive training and experience and applies documented established standards to evaluate pilot knowledge and skills in a variety of flight related scenarios.
  • Compliance Inspection: Knowledge of the guidelines, regulations, and procedures associated with compliance inquiries, including application of compliance rules and criteria and ability to make appropriate decisions and issue citations, fines, or orders.
If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12839571

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.