Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal) Job in Fort Belvoir, VA

Vacancy No. DAHT255338651450 Department U.S. Army Military District of Washington
Salary $84,601.00 to $109,975.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/18/2025 Close Date 6/30/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Fort Belvoir, VA


Summary

About the Position: The Army Aviation Brigade plans, coordinates, and executes aviation operations, to include regional and worldwide priority air transport for the Army's senior leadership, selected DoD officials, and Combatant Commanders. Executes airfield operations at Davison Army Airfield, and provides Air Traffic Services support to the Pentagon helipad. As directed, employs rotary wing aviation and engineer technical rescue assets to support designated contingency operations.

Duties

  • Provide Air Traffic Control services through radar/non-radar procedures to military District of Washington (MDW), surrounding military and civilian aviation communities, airfields and Fort Belvoir.
  • Maintain continuing control of the airspace that encompasses a Prohibited Area (P-73), National Wildlife Refuge and several separate multidirectional feeder corridors.
  • Work closely with Reagan National Air Traffic Control Facility and Washington-Dulles International airports Class B airspace.
  • Provide instructions for separating and sequencing aircraft conducting simultaneous arrivals and departures to a runway, multiple landing areas, and a parallel taxiway.
  • Initiate Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to advise aviation community of portions of the National Airspace System (NAS) that are inoperative.
  • Required to perform duties at the Pentagon Army Heliport.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Pre-employment physical/medical evaluation required. Must pass an ATC Flight Physical upon initial entrance on duty.
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing and you must sign DA Form 5019-R.
  • Required to work rotating shifts, overtime, weekends, holidays and/or on-call duty hours.
  • This position is included under the provisions of Special Retirement Coverage and may have both a maximum entry age and a mandatory retirement date. See "Qualifications" and "Additional Information" section for more details.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret (T3) security clearance.
  • Position is designated as Key and Mission Essential - See "Additional Information" section of this announcement for more information.
  • Must possess or obtain within applicable time limits (88 days IAW AR 95-2) the facility rates required for full performance at the facility where the position is located.
  • Must be a graduate of a DoD component or FAA approved formal Air Traffic Controller school IAW AR 95-2.
  • Must possess an Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Control Tower Operator (CTO), and/or Air Traffic Oversite (AOV) credentials certification. (NOTE: You must attach your certifications for verification at time of application)

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
  • Current Civilian Employees of the Organization
  • Current Department of Army Civilian Employees
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
  • Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Interchange Agreement Eligible
  • People with Disabilities, Schedule A
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998
  • Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)



In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work of this job. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves Air Traffic Control experience providing Limited Radar Approach Control Terminal services; sequencing and separating aircraft conducting simultaneous arrivals and departures to a runway; directing the movement of aircraft on runways/taxiway; providing air traffic control assistance in accordance with Federal Administration Order 7110.65; providing instructions or advisories to ensure an orderly flow of traffic operating under Visual Flight Rule (VFR); and providing instructions or advisories to ensure an orderly flow of traffic operating under Instrument flight Rule (IFR). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirement above, applicants must also be a graduate of a DoD component or FAA approved formal Air Traffic Controller school and possess Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Control Tower Operator (CTO), and/or Aviation Oversite (AOV) credentials certification.


You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Credibility


Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09).

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and minimum qualification requirements prescribed by OPM within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.This position has been identified by Department of Army as an Air Traffic Controller as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2109(1)(A) and (1)(B) who is actively engaged in the separation and control of air traffic; or in providing preflight, inflight, or airport advisory service aircraft operators; or is the immediate or second-level supervisor of any employee described above. As described under 5 U.S.C. 8401(35)(B), this also includes the immediate supervisor of the person described in 5 U.S.C. 2109(1)(B). As such, this position is covered under special retirement coverage. The individual hired is subject to Special Retirement provisions to include additional contributions to the retirement fund, mandatory separation/retirement at age 56 with 20 years of approved special retirement service, options for early retirement at any age after 25 years of approved special retirement provisions service, or at age 50 with 20 years of approved special retirement provisions service.Department of Defense (DoD), in accordance with 5 USC 3307, has determined an individual must be appointed to their first/original appointment into a DoD position that has been identified and approved for special retirement coverage as an Air Traffic Controller no later than the last day of the month in which they become 36. Preference eligible veterans over the age of 36, may apply regardless of the age restriction. If selected, a waiver of the age restriction will be requested by the hiring official for approval by the Department of Army.An individual who is past the maximum entry age (36) who previously served in an approved Department of Defense Air Traffic Controller position may be reinstated to a covered position provided they meet the applicable qualification requirements AND will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered service as an Air Traffic Controller by the last day of the month in which they become 56.Department of Army may approve an exception to the maximum entry age (36) for original entry into a covered Air Traffic controller position. However, any individual who has reached the mandatory separation age (56) is not eligible for employment or reemployment as an Air Traffic Controller.In addition to providing the required eligibility documentation listed elsewhere in this job announcement, you must provide sufficient documentation to determine proof of age. This documentation should be attached under Proof of Age as identified in the Required Documents section.For reentry into a covered position, you must also provide sufficient documentation (SF-50s) to show length of service in a previously covered Air Traffic Controller position.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a Career Field (CF) 64 - Aviation position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
  • This position is included under the provisions of Special Retirement Coverage and may have both a maximum entry age and a mandatory retirement date. For more information follow this link or see information posted in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy announcement https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol331.pdf
  • Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATC) Premium Pay (5%) has been authorized for this position. Salary based on DCB 2024 Pay Table.
  • Position has been designated as Key: This position shall not be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the agency to function effectively. Because of the essential nature of this position, shall require that it NOT be filled by members of the National Guard, Ready Reservists or military retirees with recall obligations to preclude such position from being vacated during a mobilization.
  • This is a Mission Essential position: If this area experiences severe weather conditions that result in the installation being closed for normal business operations, you are still required to report for or remain on duty to maintain infrastructure operations, health, safety, and security.
  • The selecting official has requested a competitive and noncompetitive candidate list for this vacancy. If you are eligible for the noncompetitive list, you will be evaluated on basic and/or minimum qualifications, as applicable. While required to answer the assessment questions, non-competitive candidates will not be evaluated against the competitive rating & ranking criteria. The selecting official may select from any of the candidate lists.
  • This position is included under the provisions of Special Retirement Coverage (SRC) and may have both a maximum entry age and a mandatory retirement date. For more information follow this link: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol331.pdf

Benefits

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, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.

Only MSP/PPP applicants currently occupying a formal training program position are entitled to exercise their priority status.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
  • Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-grade Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on06/30/2025 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12751450).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
HT-W0CSAA THE ARMY AVIATION BRIGADE
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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