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Aviation Safety Inspector, Principal Maintenance Inspector

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA, Flight Standards Services, Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance, Phoenix CMO
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) is responsible for recommending new and amended Title 14Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) for the development and implementation of standards, programs, and procedures for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) field personnel and the public governing all matters to air carrier maintenance safety issues.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/26/2025 to 07/16/2025
Salary
$106,382 to - $138,296 per year

Salary above includes base pay only. Locality will be added upon assigned duty station

Pay scale & grade
FG 14
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Saint Ann, MO
Telework eligible
Yes—As determined by Agency policy. This is not a 100% telework or remote position.
Travel Required
25% or less - The job may require up to 25% travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 2 Years
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This position is represented by PASS: Flight Standards Services.
Announcement number
ACE-FS-25-DLS-95499
Control number
839425900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current Permanent AVS employees, to include AMA-200

Duties

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The PMI plans and directs the use of time and resources to accomplish organizational objectives. He or she defines, organizes, and uses resources to accomplish work activities within established schedules, analyzes program requirements and accomplishments, and makes or directs adjustments as necessary to address organizational needs.

The PMI provides guidance to field level staff to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique problems, with the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist. Develop plans, techniques, and policies to address current and anticipated problems and issues. Works with management to solve problems.

As the principal representative in regulatory surveillance of air carrier activities, exercises certificate authority over a major air carrier with very extensive and complex operations. Analyzes flight operations involving large fleets of turbojet aircraft engaged in large-scale passenger and freight service; or evaluates maintenance activities and complete aircraft overhaul facilities which are equipped and staffed to handle the latest and most sophisticated turbojet aircraft and associated systems.

Exercises certificate authority and safety responsibility over a complex of broad and varied general aviation organizations such as operator maintenance facilities and contracted repair stations when the activities monitored equate collectively to a major air carrier in terms of size and complexity of aircraft fleet employed, scope and technical complexity of operations, management sophistication, industry leadership, and public impact. The magnitude, intensity, and scope of program responsibility are typically such as to require significant and regular assistance of lower graded inspectors.

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).
  • Applicants MUST submit all required certificates (See Required Documents)
  • Selectee will be required to report to a FAA Flight Standards duty location
  • This position is temporary, not to exceed 2 years.
  • May be extended, terminated or made permanent at any time without further consideration.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the minimum eligibility requirements for an Aviation Safety Inspector in the 1825 series as outlined in the OPM qualification standards. The minimum eligibility requirements for this position are below or may be found on the following link: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1800/aviation-safety-series-1825/

General Requirements for All Applicants:

  1. Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years;
  2. Valid State driver's license;
  3. Fluency in the English language;
  4. No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and
  5. High school diploma or equivalent.

Medical Requirements: Applicants must be physically able to perform the duties of the Aviation Safety Inspector
position in a safe and efficient manner, with or without a reasonable accommodation. The minimum medical
requirements include the following requirements:

  1. Have good distant vision in each eye and be able to read, without strain, printed materials the size of typewritten characters (glasses and contact lenses permitted);
  2. Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); and
  3. Not have any physical condition that would cause them to be a hazard to themselves or others that would interfere with their ability to fly as passengers in a variety of aircraft.

Applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector, Air Carrier Maintenance positions must meet all of the following requirements.

  1. Experience involving the maintenance and repair of airframes, power plants, and systems of multi-engine aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight maintained under an airworthiness maintenance and inspection program.
  2. Aircraft maintenance experience in a repair station; air carrier or airline repair facility; military repair facility; or local, state, or Federal governmental agency.
  3. Experience involving the maintenance and repair of airframes, power plants, and aircraft systems with responsibility for certifying airworthiness.
  4. Aircraft maintenance work experience within the last 3 years.
  5. FAA Mechanic Certificate with airframe and power plant ratings.

(Recency of specialized experience, and the need for a second-class medical certificate is waived for current FAA employees in the 1825 series)

AND

In addition to meeting the minimum requirements, applicants for the FG-14 level must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (FG/GS-13 or Pay Band I) in the normal line of progression. Examples of Specialized Experience include:

  • Monitoring activities of organizations to determine whether they are following authorized programs and evaluating proposals to change programs.
  • Planning and conducting inspections and surveillance of assigned areas of carrier maintenance operations to assure compliance with Federal aviation regulations.
  • Principal contact with, and having responsibility for the certification, inspection, and surveillance of the maintenance operations of a group of aviation organizations.

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

For Lateral Movements Between 1825 Specialties:To assist in determining qualification requirements, applicants transferring between specialties at the same grade level are strongly encouraged to complete the appropriate Qualifications Assessment Tool (QAT) check sheet and upload it along with their resume. Check sheets are contained in Order 3410.26, Flight Standards Service Air Carrier and General Aviation Qualifications Assessment Tool for AFS Aviation Safety Inspectors found using this link https://my.faa.gov/org/linebusiness/avs/offices/afx/tools/qat.html

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

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

Temporary, not to exceed 2 years. May be extended, terminated, or made permanent at any time without further consideration.

Ingrade/Downgrade applications will be accepted.

All or none of the candidates may be interviewed.

Selectee will be required to report to the advertised facility.

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)/Leadership and Management Dimension (LMD) 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/LMD.

In lieu of providing a KSA NARRATIVE response in the text box listed below each KSA/LMD, in your work history on your resume/application, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA/LMD. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Please also ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job); Duties (be specific in describing your duties); Employer's name and address; Supervisor name and phone number; Start and end dates including month and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008); Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week); & Salary. Determining length of Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide ALL of this information may result in a finding of ineligible due to an incomplete application.

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.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.

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