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Aviation Technical Systems Specialist (Lead Planner)

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
ATO, Central Service Center, Environmental, NAS Planning & Support Team, AJV-C330

Summary

This position is located in the Air Traffic Organization, Mission Support Services, Central Service Area, Planning and Requirements Group (PRG), NAS Planning Team (NPT) (AJV-C33). The NPT Team serves as geographical/functional and regional focal point for NAS Implementation Planning and integration analysis.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 08/20/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 20, 2026
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Yes-Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$121,519 - $188,392 per year

The salary listed above include locality of 27.26%.

Pay scale & grade
FV J
Promotion potential
NA
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - The job may require up to 25% travel.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes - This position is represented by NATCA: Technical System Specialists.
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
ASW-ATO-26-CM274-99757
Control number
878668100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current employees FAA Wide

Duties

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This position is located in the Air Traffic Organization, Mission Support Services, Central Service Area, Planning and Requirements Group (PRG), NAS Planning Team (NPT) (AJV-C33). The PRG group is responsible for providing integrated planning, requirements management, and program implementation management support to assist Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Service Units, and other FAA organizations as requested, with implementing and managing ATO services and infrastructure within the Service Areas. The NPT Team serves as geographical/functional and regional focal point for NAS Implementation Planning and integration analysis.

As a Lead Planner, the incumbent applies experience and comprehensive technical knowledge while performing multiple, varying, and complex assignments. Performs ATO planning for a specific geographic boundary including planning, communicating assignments, milestones, and deadlines to the team based on supervisor's instructions.

Serves as a Planning and Requirements Group (PRG) Lead for communication with external ATO customers including Airport Authorities, Airport District Offices, state and local governments, aviation authorities and any non­ ATO entities.  Performs regular meetings with airports to review development plans to identify future projects.  Often represents FAA as a senior technical point of contact on projects, programs and other work activities. Communicates results to all levels internally (within an LOB/SO or across LOB/SOs) and externally. Plays a lead role in drafting, reviewing, and editing reports or contractual documents for final approval prior to external distribution.

Utilizes the strategic portfolio plans including F&E, Ops, and external stakeholders projects that impact the NAS and performs analysis of portfolio plans to identify integration opportunities, minimize cost, and minimize system and operational impacts. Develops project plans using integrated portfolio plans and provide to all stakeholders for consideration.

Establish internal FAA cross-functional teams for collaboration of strategic planning activities requiring coordination and integration of requirements and project across Service Units and external customers.

Broad policies and objectives provide general guidance for addressing issues, but allow considerable discretion to develop new and innovative approaches. Draws on experience to solve unusual problems and may create new solutions and policy interpretations as the situation requires. Provides policy guidance and instruction to others, both internally and externally.

Identify external stakeholder projects that will impact the NAS and lead the development of reimbursable agreements to mitigate the impacts. Perform oversight of ongoing reimbursable projects to identify potential issues.

Provides leadership, training, oversight and guidance to planning specialists.

Work is reviewed rarely, typically though status reports and at project completion, to ensure technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity.  Work activities typically impact directly on the objectives of one or more major subdivisions or LOB/SOs and may impact on the objectives of the FAA. In some areas, the work may affect the safety and security of 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).
  • Security Requirement: Moderate Risk (5). This position requires completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. Subject to a 5 year period reinvestigation.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience

Candidates must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the (FV-I or FG/GS-13) level that is typically in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized experience includes: Experience applying advanced technical knowledge of NAS facilities and conducting NAS infrastructure assessments.

QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

Special Note Concerning Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): 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.

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.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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

Incomplete Applications: Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your application/resume MUST have your official title, grade and series on your work history.

Interviews: If the Agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

Salary: Set in accordance with the NATCA/Consolidated Bargaining Contract.

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

Cindy Muckensturm
Phone
1 (817) 222-5894
Fax
1 (817) 222-5852
Email
cindy.a.muckensturm@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
ASW Regional HR Services Branch
10101 Hillwood Parkway
AHF-S410
Fort Worth, TX 76177
US

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