Clarification from the agency

WHO MAY APPLY: All qualified permanent and indefinite Title 5 and Title 32 National Guard employees who are currently working for the 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph, Missouri.

• Provides terminal ATC services to aircraft operating from primary and/or secondary airports within delegated airspace.
• Manages and directs controller actions and functions in Tower and Radar facilities as the primary watch supervisor and/or senior controller.
• Performs air traffic control duties in the control tower and radar facility.
• Provides mandatory additional services and assistance to aircraft to include those experiencing in-flight emergencies, hijacking and unlawful seizure, pilot disorientation, and to those aircraft otherwise experiencing distress during flight.
• Operates, trains, and provides preventative maintenance on a host of automated communications and display hardware and software systems that are integral and vital to the operation of the air traffic control facility.
• Maintains communications with aircraft and adjacent facilities to transmit and receive instructions and information relative to flight.
• Determines when backup or alternate communications are required and places same in operation as appropriate.
• Ensures adjacent facilities and aircraft operators are advised of additional support requirements during equipment outages.
• Manages controllers on a shift to include position assignment, appointments, unexpected absences, leave scheduling, and shift overlap.
• Conducts and directs aircraft mishap and hazardous air traffic systems reporting.
• Serves as the focal point on the airfield for ground or airborne aircraft mishaps, system reports on hazardous air traffic activities, and ATC and pilot incident inquiries.
• Provides accurate documentation and disseminates observations to adjacent ATC facilities, aircraft, and weather personnel, in accordance with National Weather Service (NWS), FAA, DoD, and local facility directives.
• Provides comprehensive on-the-job training for Air Force and Air National Guard personnel in accordance with Air Force, Air National Guard, FAA, and local policies and directives.
• Contacts civilian or military individuals or groups from inside and outside the employing agency in a variety of functions, as well as technical personnel employed by contractors and state ANG officials.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• Acceptance of an Excepted Service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment.
• Failure to complete management prescribed courses for full-time support personnel within the first year of employment or assignment, may be cause for reassignment or termination.
• Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
• Position is subject to the provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program.
• May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
• Applicants must possess a valid Air Traffic Control Specialist Certificate and/or Control Tower (CTO) Certificate.
• Must meet and maintain on a continuing basis, the physical and mental qualification standards established by the USAF or ANG for Air Traffic Control duty.
• Must meet and maintain on a continuing basis, the physical and mental qualification standards established by the FAA, USA, and NGB for Air Traffic Control duty.
• United States Citizenship is required.
• In accordance with the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968, an individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
• Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.

Qualifications

GS-11 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 grade level which includes experience in issuing control instructions and advice to pilots in the vicinity of airports to assure proper separation of aircraft and to expedite their safe and efficient movement; ability to act decisively under stressful situations and to maintain alertness over sustained periods of pressure; skill to coordinate plans and actions with pilots and other controllers; and judgment to select and take the safest and most effective course of action from among several available choices. The specialized experience must also demonstrate your ability to perform regular duties in terminal operations, issue control instructions to aircraft operating under visual or instrument flight rules or combinations of both; experiences in a military or civilian as an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in a single ATC facility-rated control tower air traffic facility; initiate and issue air traffic control clearances, instructions and advisories to ensure safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic under instrument and visual flight rules; conduct ATC facility training; and briefing shift personnel on runway utilization, airfield conditions and weather/ground activities. Must possess certification in Tower or RAPCON.


REQUIREMENTS: Air traffic control specialists in all specializations must possess or obtain, within uniformly applicable time limits, the facility ratings required for full performance at the facility where the position is located. Applicants must possess or obtain a valid Air Traffic Control Specialist Certificate and/or Control Tower Operator Certificate, if appropriate. These certificates require demonstrating knowledge of basic meteorology, basic air navigation, standard air traffic control and communications procedures, the types and uses of air navigation aids, and regulations governing air traffic.

Facility ratings require demonstration of a knowledge of the kind and location of radio aids to air navigation, the terrain, the landmarks, the communications systems and circuits, and the procedures peculiar to the area covered by the facility.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: In general, air traffic control specialist applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of these positions without risk to themselves or others. The provision of sufficient information about physical capacity for employment requires that before appointment applicants undergo appropriate pre-employment physical/medical evaluations.

MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE: A maximum age for original entry into an identified ATC position is 36. An individual shall NOT be appointed or assigned to an ATC position if that appointment cannot be accomplished prior to the last day of the month in which the individual reaches his/her 36th birthday. Applicants over the age limits must meet re-entry or age waiver requirements accordance with DoD 1400.25-M Change 8, dated 20 Jun 05, Department of Defense Civilian Personnel Manual, Subchapter 331, Civilian Air Traffic Controllers. Any individual who has reached the mandatory separation age (56) is NOT eligible for employment/reemployment as an ATC (5 U.S.C. 3323(a) (reference (b)). Civilian Air Traffic Controllers.

Additional Conditions of Employment:

• Is subject to the special retirement provisions for Air Traffic Controllers under CSRS and FERS, 5 USC 3382, Involuntary Separation for Retirement; 5 USC 8335(a) and 8425(a), Mandatory Separation; 5 USC 8336(e) and 8412(e), Immediate Retirement; and 5 USC 8339(e) and 8415(d), Computation of Annuity.
• Must possess ability to make rapid and precise judgments in real-time work situations, be able to remain calm under conditions that are stressful, and to coordinate at times many different processes at once, while adjusting rapidly to changes in the traffic pattern and tempo of work activities.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.