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Supervisory Operational Safety Specialist

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Aviation Safety, Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, AVP
This job announcement has closed

Summary

As a supervisor/manager, the selectee for this position will be eligible to receive a Manager Performance Incentive (MPI) provided eligibility requirements noted in agency policy are met. The MPI is an annual lump-sum incentive payment that considers agency performance, the manager's individual performance, and available funding.

The position serves as the Division Director for the Safety Management Division in the Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention located within the FAA.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/28/2025 to 09/08/2025
Salary
$148,902 to - $225,700 per year

Salary Include a Locality Rate of 33.94%

Pay scale & grade
FV K
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational Telework As Per Agency Policy
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
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
ACT-AVS-25-AVP300-96136
Control number
844460000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Also open to former permanent excepted service federal employees eligible under an interchange agreement. Current or former permanent federal employees must have met a one year probationary period or trial period in the competitive of excepted service. Applications will also be accepted from preference eligibles and veterans who are honorably discharged from the Armed Forces after completing at least 3 years of continuous active duty service.

Duties

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The Director will provide executive leadership for the development of safety management functions, identification of hazard controls, issue mitigation, safety performance, development of safety policy, and safety promotion.

Supervises and directs the work of Branch Managers; leads large aviation-related projects; defines and develops internal policies and procedures; as well as predicts potential issues and proposes preventive actions.

Work includes complex projects/programs based on the objectives of the major subdivision, the LOB/SO, and frequently the FAA. Supervisory duties affect managers and employees for more than one organizational unit/project/program and provide strategic direction for the development and implementation of safety management programs, including those supporting the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Ensures compliance with FAA safety management systems (SMS) and guides subordinate supervisors in applying system safety principles. Guides the development and organization of, as well as oversees the FAA and AVS safety management functions.

Provides strategic direction for analysts that develop new and innovative approaches, methodologies, and/or techniques to define and direct so that newly identified hazards and ineffective controls for the most significant system-wide safety issues are analyzed and mitigated, and safety performance is measured and monitored. Coordinates resource deployment to support safety events, special investigations, or audit-driven activities across multiple regions. Provides executive direction for the development and standardization of safety policy and technical guidance that affects safety management nationwide.

Develops and implements budgetary and operational plans for multi-unit programs focused on aviation safety. Aligns objectives with agency-wide goals, ensuring consistency across investigative, technical, and administrative domains. Participates in national and international-level planning, policy development, and resource prioritization across AVS organizations. Serves as a principal advisor conducting briefings to convey strategic vision and/or organizational policies to internal and external stakeholders regarding high-visibility aviation safety issues, regulations, policies, processes and procedures. Leads special projects and inter-agency initiatives, balancing technical depth with strategic foresight.

Interprets policy and applies knowledge of the FAA's policies and objectives when directing the work of subordinate employees, including managers, team leaders, engineers, and specialists and sets work priorities and schedules. Work is typically governed by established policies, procedures and mission objectives, which leave considerable room for discretion and typically includes a mixture of routine and complex projects/programs based on the objectives of the AVS and AVP leadership.

Applies detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of the work that is directed; has a detailed knowledge of budget, human resources management, and other administrative policies and procedures; and a comprehensive understanding of the objectives of the major subdivision, the LOB/SO, and the FAA. Managerial duties typically affect employees and managers in more than one organizational unit/project/program and include planning: communicating the organization's vision and objectives, setting priorities, assigning tasks and responsibilities, approves leave, providing professional counsel and instruction to employees on both development and administrative matters, exercises the full range of supervisory responsibilities.

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).
  • Designated or Random Drug Testing required.

Qualifications

To view the complete qualifications standard, applicants should reference-U.S. Office of Personnel Management Group Coverage Qualification Standard for General Inspection Investigation Enforcement and Compliance Series, 1801:

General Inspection Investigation Enforcement and Compliance Series 1801

To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-J, FG/GS-14 in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Experience includes: Experience in leading aviation safety management systems (SMS) or aviation safety risk management (SRM)— including conducting research and the gathering and analyzing of data to identify root causes and developing risk mitigation. Experience in overseeing safety programs, setting safety goals, defining resources, assigning work, establishing timelines, or ensuring accountability.

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

All, some or none will be interviewed.

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

Leave Enhancement: FAA organizations may offer enhanced annual leave accrual to newly appointed or reappointed employees. In order to receive consideration for such a benefit, applicants' prior non-Federal service or active duty uniformed service must directly relate to the duties of the position to which appointed. Granting enhanced annual leave is at the sole discretion of the hiring organization, and granting such benefit is not an entitlement nor guaranteed to any newly hired employee.

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

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 Leadership and Management Dimensions, 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 listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical order and referred to the selecting official for consideration.Leadership and Management Dimensions

Current/Former Federal Employees MUST provide an SF-50.

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.

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