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Operations Research Analyst

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Flight Standards Services, Safety Analysis Branch, AFS-930

Summary

Serves as a Senior Operations Research Analyst (ORA) for the Safety Analysis Branch, AFS-930. Providing expert analytical support concerning aviation safety and other related items to include internal business processes supporting the Flight Standards Service.  

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/12/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 12, 2026
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$111,779 - $216,637 per year

Salary includes locality pay based upon duty location

Pay scale & grade
FV J
Promotion potential
NA
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
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.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
AGL-AFX-26-0046-98930
Control number
871062100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent FAA employees

Duties

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Utilizes operations research and other advanced analytical techniques, data mining, statistical analysis, and mathematical modeling in the development of solutions to enhance the risk-based, data supported decision making processes. 

Serves as a technical specialist and subject matter expert responsible for the planning, design, development, and application of mathematical models, statistical models, and/or methodologies for analyzing components of the aviation system and aviation safety data using advanced technologies and analytics. Explores relationships between variables, develops hypothesis, defines criteria for testing hypothesis, and subjects data to statistical and mathematical analyses. Identifies future needs and provides recommendations on advanced, innovative, or new research techniques, methodologies, or processes. 

Determines the appropriate amount of data needed to support conclusions with specific levels of statistical confidence. Uses standardized metrics for analysis. Develops additional metrics for situations when needed. Performs analyses to determine benefits and risks for projects and programs. 

In conjunction with management officials plans and directs the use of time and resources to accomplish FAA ORA program objectives. Coordinates directly with appropriate personnel to develop and implement data analysis techniques to ensure information requirements are met. Conducts analysis and research studies involving aviation safety, personnel, budget, or other related data. 

Works with the DM and management team members in the development, implementation, and administration of policies, systems, and key management tools needed to manage and control national level programs. 

Uses/condenses/distills data and information to support risk-based decision making at all levels of the organization.

Work is reviewed rarely, typically through status reports, and at project completion, to ensure technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity.

Serves as a technical mentor to other analysts.

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).
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

Evaluation of Education:

The primary requirement of operations research work is competence in the rigorous methods of scientific inquiry and analysis rather than in the subject matter of the problem. Therefore, applicants should have sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to understand and use the fundamental concepts and techniques of operations research methods of analysis. In addition, some positions may require knowledge of a specific subject area.

Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science.

The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queueing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite.

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience at the FV-I, FG-13 level. 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 a high level of experience in applying statistical (e.g. R, Python) computer languages, domain specific (e.g. SQL) languages, and/or data manipulation/visualization software (e.g. Tableau, Alteryx) to draw insights from large, unstructured, disparate data sets with no documentation or technical support.  Applying advanced knowledge of and experience with aviation related data, data integration, analysis, visualization, and socialization of safety information.

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

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

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

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated for Internal Announcements:

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.

Incomplete Applications:

Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

Interviews:

Some, all or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

This is not a bargaining unit position.

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

Diana Maiello
Phone
1 (847) 294-7732
Fax
1 (847) 294-7858
Email
diana.maiello@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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