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Aviation Safety Inspector (Air Carrier Maintenance), Assistant Principal Maintenance Inspector

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
DOT, FAA, Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance, Air Carrier E Division, Atlanta CMO

Summary

The Assistant Principal Maintenance Inspector (APMI) serves as a full assistant to a Principal Inspector performing the full range of certification, surveillance, and inspection duties for assigned air carriers, air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees and has program responsibility to assure that assigned organizations meet Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) with respect to maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alteration programs.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/13/2025 to 01/02/2026
Salary
$90,025 to - $117,034 per year

The salary range above is basic pay. Locality rate will be added based on location.

Pay scale & grade
FG 13
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Watkins, CO
Hapeville, GA
Houston, TX
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - The job may require up to 50% travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
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
AEA-FS-26-SLF-96661
Control number
852303600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent FAA employees, FAA-Wide

Duties

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Under the general direction of the Principal Inspector or Supervisory Principal Inspector accomplishes the
following duties:
A. Technical Administration On a continuing basis, ensures assigned organizations are properly and adequately organized, staffed and equipped; establishes and conducts adequate training programs; maintains record keeping systems; and facilities and ensures procedures meet all regulatory requirements. Chairs joint Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry meetings. Maintains regular contact with organizations assigned and coordinates with top management officials. Requires or directs correction of any deficiencies/discrepancies and refuses or withdraws approval if they cannot be resolved. Develops maintenance program requirements through participation on maintenance review boards. Coordinates minimum equipment list (MEL) approvals with the principal operations inspector. Takes enforcement action in instances of noncompliance with the MEL. Conducts enforcement investigations and prepares final reports and recommendations on disposition Performs or supervises the emergency suspension of certificates or cancellation of operations specifications. Conducts or directs the reexamination of certificated airmen or recertification of an operator or agency. Conducts investigations of public complaints, congressional inquiries, and aircraft incidents and accidents. Provides verbal and/or written technical assistance to legal counsel, testifies at court trials and formal hearings, and gives dispositions. Coordinates with geographic inspectors for the accomplishment of non-routine air carrier surveillance. B. Certification Responsible for initial and ongoing certification of air carriers, aircraft, airmen, and air agencies. Makes recommendations on the appointment of designees. Evaluates requests to operate under conditions not previously specified in the airworthiness portion of the operations specifications and approves/disapproves requests providing additional conditions and limitations as needed. Provides guidance to the assigned air carrier in the development of required maintenance manuals and record keeping systems. Reviews and determines adequacy of manuals associated with the air carrier’s airworthiness programs and revisions. Ensures manuals and revisions comply with regulatory requirements, prescribe safe practices, and furnish clear and specific instructions governing airworthiness programs. Approves operations specifications and amendments. Determines if the maintenance facilities being established or contract arrangements entered into by air carrier for the purpose of overhaul work, major repairs, alterations, and other maintenance are satisfactory. Reviews changes and negotiates with air carrier management to resolve problems. Determines if overhaul and inspection time limitations warrant revision. Evaluates an operator’s proposed reliability programs for compliance with national policies. Advises operator of deficiencies and required changes. Approves/disapproves reliability programs. Determines if the air carrier’s training program meets the requirements of 14 CFR, is compatible with the airworthiness program, is properly organized and effectively conducted, and results in trained and competent personnel. Directs or participates in flight evaluations to determine compliance with 14 CFR. Recommends changes that will be required prior to approval. C. Surveillance Directs the inspection and surveillance of the air carrier’s continuous airworthiness program. Monitors all phases of the air carrier’s airworthiness operation, including the maintenance, engineering, quality control, production control, training, and reliability programs. Analyzes trends to detect deterioration in the airworthiness program. Performs other duties as assigned.

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).
  • Ingrade/downgrade application will be accepted.

Qualifications

General Requirements for All Positions:

  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 for All Positions:

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.

In addition, applicants for positions that require participation in the operation of the aircraft must:

  1. Possess a valid second – class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations; and
  2. Pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA.

Applicants not requiring valid second-class medical certificates who are tentatively selected will be required to:

  1. Provide documentation from a board-certified physician certifying that they meet the minimal medical requirements; or
  2. Individuals who do not meet the minimum medical requirements but who are otherwise qualified will receive an individualized assessment to determine whether they can perform the essential functions of the position.

Applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Air Carrier Maintenance), applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) 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.

To qualify for this position at the FG-1825-13 level, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-H or FG/GS-12 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 may include but not limited to: developing aircraft maintenance programs or maintenance requirements, the development and evaluation of aircraft maintenance manuals and record keeping systems; analyzing reports to insure compliance with the airworthiness programs, aircraft maintenance quality control and quality assurance, surveillance and inspections of an air carriers maintenance program (or military equivalent), experience in a maintenance training department of an air carrier (or military equivalent).

Recency of specialized experience is waived for current FAA employees in the 1825 series.

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history.

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

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.

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

Applicants must apply on-line to receive consideration for this vacancy announcement. Faxed, mailed or e-mailed applications cannot be accepted. If you need to submit additional documents to supplement your on-line application, e.g. transcripts, SF-50, or veterans' documentation, you may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS. Supplemental documentation can also be faxed to (718) 553-3245 on or before the closing date of this announcement. Please include your name and the vacancy announcement number on each of your faxed pages and redact all Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as social security number and date of birth.

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 section, 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.

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.

All or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

Ingrade/Downgrade applications will be accepted.

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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