Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal) Job in Fort Polk, LA

Vacancy No. MCFU-25-12821542-DHA Department United States Army Installation Management Command
Salary $105,988.00 to $137,791.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/27/2025 Close Date 11/10/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Fort Polk, LA


Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

About the PositionThis 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

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

  • Issues instructions to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) aircraft to expedite the movement of arriving/departing aircraft, providing radar separation through the use of STARS radar equipment.
  • Assigns departure time to prevent conflicts with inbound traffic and other aircraft, establishes sequence and separation patterns and instructs aircraft on position in sequence and type of approach to expect.
  • Provide approach control services using radar displays and the ability to apply Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) separation standards and vectoring procedures for arrivals, departures and enroute aircraft.
  • Utilize surveillance and precision approach radars to control aircraft to touchdown and to maintain separation between aircraft.
  • Maintains positive control of all aircraft in assigned airspace utilizing standard air traffic control phraseology.
  • Serves as a certified Air Traffic Control Specialist in an Army Radar Approach Control.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment.
  • This position requires shift work to provide coverage on evenings, weekends, holidays, or special situations. Employee shifts are rotated on a regularly scheduled basis.
  • This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 5% of the time.
  • This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Class IV Aviation Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
  • This position has been designated "Mission Essential". In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
  • This position is subject to a pre-employment screening, and random testing thereafter, to include testing based on reasonable suspicion and testing due to direct involvement with an on-duty accident.
  • The duties of this position require the incumbent to possess or obtain and maintain a valid state Driver's License in one of the 50 U.S. states or possessions to operate vehicles.
  • This position requires you to support the Facility Training Program and to be involved with one-on-one on the job training (OJT).
  • This position requires the FAA Certification; Form 7220-1.
  • Air traffic control specialists in all specializations must possess or obtain, within applicable time limits (198 days in accordance with AR 95-2), the facility ratings required for full performance at the facility where the position is located.
  • Appointment to this position is subject to a one year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirements as described in 5 CFR Part 315. While probationary the incumbent can be terminated with limited appeal rights.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

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: One year of specialized experience which includes duties as a certified fully Radar Approach Controller using Radar Approach Control equipment to include Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) or Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems: providing radar approach control services using radar displays; performing duties and task in Radar Approach Control Facilities This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

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) certification. Please submit this certification with your application package. Failure to do so could result in an "ineligible" rating due to missing certification.

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.

Additional information regarding Special Retirement coverage CSRS/FERS Handbook, Chapter 46.

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(n) Aviation Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
  • Recruitment and relocation incentives may be authorized.
  • Student loan repayment may be authorized.
  • Salary negotiations for those candidates who are new to Federal service may be authorized.
  • Credit for prior non-Federal work experience and certain military service for determining annual leave accrual rate may be authorized.
  • Incentives are not automatic and are based on eligibility and availability of funds.

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, 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. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public 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 must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
  • 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 additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Proof of Age: As this is ATC position, your application package MUST include a government issued document indicating your date of birth. Failure to submit this document will result in your application being marked as incomplete and you WILL NOT receive further consideration for this position.
  • ATC Certificates: You MUST submit a copy of the following: Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) certification. If your application package does not contain proof of having these certificates, your application will be marked as incomplete and you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.
  • This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
  • This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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) on 11/10/2025 to receive consideration

  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
  • 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. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may 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://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
FU-W0VFAA US ARMY IMCOM-USAG FT JOHNSON
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Johnson, LA 71459
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 (as applicable) 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.