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Airport Airspace Specialist (Regional Airport Airspace Specialist)

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Office of Airports, Great Lakes Region Airports Division, Safety & Standards Branch (AGL-620)

Summary

This position serves as the Regional Airport Airspace Specialist for the Office of Airports, Great Lakes Region.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/31/2026 to 04/13/2026
Salary
$101,222 - $156,879 per year

Salary includes locality rate of 30.86%

Pay scale & grade
FV I
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Des Plaines, IL
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational Telework may be permitted in accordance with existing FAA policy and procedures.
Travel Required
25% or less - The job may require up to 25% travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This position is represented by NATCA: Regional ARP Except AEA.
Announcement number
AGL-ARP-26-0011-97777
Control number
863055400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent FAA employees.

Duties

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Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the minimal direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced professional. May act as a contributing specialist on large work activities or as a project manager or team leader for large projects/programs/activities.

Serves as a subject matter expert on airspace issues and will be responsible for conducting and coordinating aeronautical studies for proposed construction projects including activation/deactivation and alteration of landing areas to determine potential effects on air navigation.

Utilizes computer programs to accomplish tasks, such as: Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA), and Airports Geographical Information System (GIS), as well as Airport Layout Plans (ALP’s), 5010 records, and other information to process and analyze airspace cases to promote the safe and efficient use of navigable airspace.

Interacts with, coordinates and provide technical assistance to the Regional and Airport District Office (ADO) staff, and other internal Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) organizations and the public.”

Under the minimal direction of a Manager, the Regional Airspace Specialist conducts initial screening of airspace cases submitted via FAA Forms 7460 and 7480. Works directly with the proponent to resolve inaccurate and incomplete information. Enters the cases into OE/AAA system. Coordinates the cases internally and externally as needed. Follows up with all active cases to ensure timely processing. Prepares and issues Airspace Determinations. Maintains and updates Regional Staff Assignments within OE/AAA System as needed.

Provides guidance, support, and training on Airspace processing and review to less experienced professionals. Provides technical assistance related to the Airports GIS program to include FAA Airports GIS standards and eALP tool development. Reviews Airports GIS scopes of work for various types of aeronautical surveys and airport data collection.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Contacts are internal and external. May act as a point of contact to provide advice and guidance on the applications of policies and procedures. May be called upon to communicate FAA positions on policies and procedures internally and externally. Provides technical input in analyzing emerging issues, working collaboratively to develop and evaluate alternatives to resolve problems and improve existing or the development of new processes.

Established policies/procedures provide guidance for most assignments but allow considerable discretion for employee to select the most appropriate approach(es) or develop new approaches. Assignments regularly require interpretations of internal and external policies and extrapolations from precedents.

Resolves most problems and work issues without the assistance of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced professional. Develops and recommends approaches to address current and anticipated problems and issues. Works with management and/or more experienced professionals to solve problems.

Work is reviewed rarely, typically though status reports and at project completion, to ensure policy compliance and alignment with the requirements of projects and/or other work activities.

Work activities typically impact directly on the objectives of one or more organizational units, major subdivisions, and/or LOB's/SO's and may affect the objectives of the FAA. In some specialties, the work often affects internal and external customers.

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).

Qualifications

To qualify for FV-I, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level FV-H, FG/GS-12. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience includes experience interpreting and applying advanced knowledge of public Laws and acts related to the airport operating environment, including the:

  • Airport Improvement Program
  • Airport Capital Improvement Program
  • Sponsor Compliance Obligations
  • Airport Master Records
  • Land Use Plans
  • Airport Layout Plans
  • Airport Master Plans (i.e.: FAA Order 7400.2, 14 CFR Part 157, and FAA Form 5010)

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 located in Des Plaines, Illinois.

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 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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.

FAA's Core Compensation Pay Plan: This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website: https://jobs.faa.gov/FAACoreCompensation.htm

Incomplete Application: Please follow all instructions carefully. Error or omissions may affect your rating or further consideration for this vacancy.

Interviews: Interviews to be conducted in accordance with Collective Bargaining Agreement and/or agency policy.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, 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.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.



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.

Federal Aviation Administration

At the FAA, the sky is not the limit—it is just the beginning. Exciting new opportunities are emerging in aviation and aerospace. Significant investments are advancing the research and development of autonomous vehicles, environmentally friendly electric aircraft, high-speed and long-endurance solar-powered aircraft, and new types of space vehicles. Success with these new technologies and vehicle types will introduce new ways to transport people and goods expanding aviation's footprint in transportation. People are our strength. We are a diverse workforce of over 44,000 located nationwide and spanning over 120 occupations to include air traffic control specialists, aviation safety inspectors, engineers, scientists, technicians, and business professionals. Join us in our mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.

Agency contact information

Alexis Martinez
Phone
1 (847) 294-7156
Fax
1 (847) 294-7858
Email
alexis.d.martinez@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
AGL Regional HR Services Branch
2300 E. Devon Ave., Room 250
AHF-N310
Des Plaines, IL 60018
US

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