Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Acceptance of an Excepted Service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment.
- Failure to complete management prescribed courses for full-time support personnel within the first year of employment or assignment, may be cause for reassignment or termination.
- Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
- Position is subject to the provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program.
- May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
- Applicants must possess a valid Air Traffic Control Specialist Certificate and/or Control Tower (CTO) Certificate.
- Must meet and maintain on a continuing basis, the physical and mental qualification standards established by the USAF or ANG for Air Traffic Control duty.
- Must meet and maintain on a continuing basis, the physical and mental qualification standards established by the FAA, USA, and NGB for Air Traffic Control duty.
- United States Citizenship is required.
- In accordance with the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968, an individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
- Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
Qualifications
GS-11 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 grade level which includes experience in issuing control instructions and advice to pilots in the vicinity of airports to assure proper separation of aircraft and to expedite their safe and efficient movement; ability to act decisively under stressful situations and to maintain alertness over sustained periods of pressure; skill to coordinate plans and actions with pilots and other controllers; and judgment to select and take the safest and most effective course of action from among several available choices. The specialized experience must also demonstrate your ability to perform regular duties in terminal operations, issue control instructions to aircraft operating under visual or instrument flight rules or combinations of both; experiences in a military or civilian as an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in a single ATC facility-rated control tower air traffic facility; initiate and issue air traffic control clearances, instructions and advisories to ensure safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic under instrument and visual flight rules; conduct ATC facility training; and briefing shift personnel on runway utilization, airfield conditions and weather/ground activities. Must possess certification in Tower or RAPCON.
REQUIREMENTS: Air traffic control specialists in all specializations must possess or obtain, within uniformly applicable time limits, the facility ratings required for full performance at the facility where the position is located. Applicants must possess or obtain a valid Air Traffic Control Specialist Certificate and/or Control Tower Operator Certificate, if appropriate. These certificates require demonstrating knowledge of basic meteorology, basic air navigation, standard air traffic control and communications procedures, the types and uses of air navigation aids, and regulations governing air traffic.
Facility ratings require demonstration of a knowledge of the kind and location of radio aids to air navigation, the terrain, the landmarks, the communications systems and circuits, and the procedures peculiar to the area covered by the facility.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: In general, air traffic control specialist applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of these positions without risk to themselves or others. The provision of sufficient information about physical capacity for employment requires that before appointment applicants undergo appropriate pre-employment physical/medical evaluations.
MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE: A maximum age for original entry into an identified ATC position is 36. An individual shall NOT be appointed or assigned to an ATC position if that appointment cannot be accomplished prior to the last day of the month in which the individual reaches his/her 36th birthday. Applicants over the age limits must meet re-entry or age waiver requirements accordance with DoD 1400.25-M Change 8, dated 20 Jun 05, Department of Defense Civilian Personnel Manual, Subchapter 331, Civilian Air Traffic Controllers. Any individual who has reached the mandatory separation age (56) is NOT eligible for employment/reemployment as an ATC (5 U.S.C. 3323(a) (reference (b)). Civilian Air Traffic Controllers.
Additional Conditions of Employment:
- Is subject to the special retirement provisions for Air Traffic Controllers under CSRS and FERS, 5 USC 3382, Involuntary Separation for Retirement; 5 USC 8335(a) and 8425(a), Mandatory Separation; 5 USC 8336(e) and 8412(e), Immediate Retirement; and 5 USC 8339(e) and 8415(d), Computation of Annuity.
- Must possess ability to make rapid and precise judgments in real-time work situations, be able to remain calm under conditions that are stressful, and to coordinate at times many different processes at once, while adjusting rapidly to changes in the traffic pattern and tempo of work activities.
Education
Applicants must possess or obtain a valid Air Traffic Control Specialist Certificate and/or Control Tower Operator Certificate. These certificates require demonstrating knowledge of basic meteorology, basic air navigation, standard air traffic control and communications procedures, the types and uses of air navigation aids, and regulations governing air traffic.
Additional information
Selective Service Act:
If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx).
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Packet which may include the following:
- Resume (must include the following information)
- First and Last Name
- Contact Information (Phone Number and Email)
- Position Title(s)
- Company/Organization Name(s)
- Dates of Employment (MONTH and YEAR)
- Duties Performed - brief descriptions that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement
Please be advised that copying and pasting the specialized experience from the vacancy announcement into your resume is prohibited and will result in your resume being disqualified.
It is best practice to ensure military career information is listed in addition to civilian career information.
- Transcripts - Only a requirement if education is required OR you substitute education for specialized experience
Unofficial copies may be submitted for application purposes, but placement will not occur until official transcripts have been provided.
- SF-50 - If you have previously been employed by another Federal Agency or previously worked for our agency, please submit a copy of the last Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50).
This is NOT a requirement for those that have never been employed by a Federal Agency or those currently employed by our agency.
- DD214s