Successful candidates must be able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment.
To qualify, you must meet ONE of the following FIVE minimum qualifications for this position:
Additional Pool eligibilities are required based on specific Pool election. Please read this section carefully and contact Aviation Careers (aviation.careers@faa.gov) with any questions prior to the vacancy close date.
APPLICANT POOLS:
POOL 1 - ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants MUST meet one of the following criteria (1, 2, OR 3) listed below, and MUST provide supporting documentation, in the 'Required Documents' Section of this announcement in order to be eligible for consideration in Pool 1.
1. A graduate from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program, and who has received from the institution an official endorsement letter.
2. A Veteran eligible for a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) pursuant to Section 4214 of Title 38. To determine if you meet VRA eligibility additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/fedshirevets/veteran-job-seekers/vets/.
3. An eligible Veteran maintaining aviation experience obtained in the course of their military experience and/or entitled to Veterans' Preference (must meet eligibility requirements in section 2108 of Title 5, United States Code).
POOL 2 - ELIGIBILITY:
Pool 2 applicants are all other U.S. Citizens who do not meet the requirements for Pool 1, OR Pool 1 eligibles who elect to be considered for Pool 2. If eligible for Pool 1, applicants may elect consideration for Pool 2; but not both.
Pool 2 applicants may not apply for Pool 1 unless they meet the eligibility requirements outlined for Pool 1.
AGE REQUIREMENTS: If experience was gained as a civilian ATCS with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or Department of Defense (DOD), you must have been hired prior to age 31 and provide supporting documentation (copies of SF-50 personnel actions).A maximum age of 30 years is established for initial entry into air traffic control positions (2152 series) covered by Public Law 92-297. Persons who have reached their 31st birthday on the vacancy close date may not be appointed to these positions.
THERE ARE 5 WAYS TO QUALIFY
1. One-year general experience. Applicants must self-certify on the applicant questionnaire that they have at least one year of general experience. This may be one year of full-time work experience (2080 hours; may include a combination of paid/unpaid jobs and volunteer work).
2. Education. Applicants must self-certify through the application questionnaire a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. An associate degree alone does not meet the minimum requirement, see how to qualify based on combination or education and work experience bullet below.1.2
Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) candidates under Pool 1: To be eligible for Pool 1 You must provide a transcript must that reflects the confer date and provide the Official CTI Endorsement Letter at time of application. 2025 Spring Semester graduates - you must provide current transcripts (official or unofficial) and you will be required to provide final transcripts reflecting degree earned and confer date prior to any offer of employment, if selected. *Please note, an Official Endorsement Letter is not a personal recommendation.
3. Combination of education and work experience. Applicants must self-certify through the application questionnaire that they have education and experience that equates to one year. At the undergraduate level, successfully completed education that has not led to possession of a bachelor's degree is credited based on its relationship to
120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours
.
Example: Candidates with an associate degree must also have some work experience to meet this combination requirement.4. Specialized experience as an Air Traffic Control Specialist: applicants qualifying based on specialized experience must provide supporting documentation that verifies this requirement has been met (e.g., FAA certificate, military certificate or training record).
5. Alternative requirements: applicants must provide supporting documentation that verifies at least one of the following alternative requirements are met:
- a. Hold or have held an appropriate facility rating and have actively controlled air traffic in civilian or military air traffic control terminals or centers
- b. Hold or have held an FAA certificate as a dispatcher for an air carrier
- c. Hold or have held an instrument flight rating
- d. Hold or have held an FAA certificate as a navigator or have been fully qualified as a Navigator/Bombardier in the Armed Forces
- e. Have 350 hours of flight time as a copilot or higher and hold or have held a private certificate or equivalent Armed Forces rating
- f. Have served as a rated Aerospace Defense Command Intercept Director
Minimum qualifications required for all positions; additional eligibilities required based on Pool election. If you elect Pool 1, and it is determined that you do not meet Pool 1 eligibility, you will automatically be considered under Pool 2 eligibility requirements.