Requirements
Conditions of employment
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
- Incumbent is subject to random drug testing.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
- Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
- Selectee will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (OR 1-year OR 2-year trial period, as appropriate) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
- All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
- DEA Pilots must undergo an annual flight physical performed by a Designated Medical Examiner in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
- Pilot must complete an annual DEA standardization check-ride as specified in the Aviation Operations Manual (AOM).
- DEA Pilots require certain certificates which candidates must pass written and practical tests administered by the FAA.
- Applicant must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license while employed in the position and will be required to operate the motor vehicle in accordance with applicable OPM regulations and related requirements of DOJ/DEA.
- Successful completion of a flight assessment with a DEA Instructor or Standardization Pilot.
Qualifications
For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility
Individual Occupational Requirements:
Candidates must demonstrate possession of the knowledge and skills required for the work by meeting certain minimum flight hour requirements, including recency of flight experience. The categories in which candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency relate to (1) the general knowledge and skills to pilot the aircraft, and (2) the specific knowledge and skills related to the particular position being filled. Only that flight experience that is directly related to the work of the position is required for purposes of establishing minimum eligibility.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements: Minimum eligibility requirements for positions in this occupation are based on possession of the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificates and/or appropriate military ratings, meeting the applicable flight hour requirements, and possession of the knowledge and skills required for the positions.
Certificates and Ratings: Candidates must hold a current Commercial Pilot Certificate or the appropriate military rating; including commercial licenses for single and multi-engine fixed-wing aircraft with an instrument rating. (Candidates establishing eligibility based on military flight experience must provide official orders, forms, or logbooks showing their status as a rated military pilot, flight instructor, or flight examiner, as appropriate. Other certificates that meet or exceed the requirements of the Commercial Pilot Certificate are also acceptable, e.g., an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.)
Flight Hours: Applicants must meet the following minimum flight hour requirements:
- Total Flight Time - 1500 hours.
- Flight time as a pilot-in-command or copilot in aircraft of any weight or category is creditable for this requirement. For in-service placement actions, up to one-fourth of the total flight hours may be waived for candidates who have demonstrated possession of the knowledge and skills needed to perform the work, provided: 1) applicant holds the required certificates and ratings; 2) applicant has acquired the pilot-in-command hours and flight hours in other categories essential to performance of the work; 3) applicant meets the requirements in terms of level and quality of experience; and 4) applicant's flying history indicates they are qualified for the position.
- Pilot-In-Command -- 250 hours.
- Only flight hours acquired as pilot-in-command are creditable.
- Night Flying -- 75 hours.
- For inservice placement actions at the GS-11 level and above, 25 hours may be waived if the candidate demonstrates the ability to perform the work.
- Flying Time, Last 12 Months -- 100 hours.
- For inservice placement actions, up to one-half of the flight hours may be waived provided the individual's total background reflects the ability to perform the duties of the position safely.
- Multi-engine Airplane -- 500 hours.
- When the position requires operation of heavy multi-engine airplanes (i.e., gross takeoff weight in excess of 12,500 pounds) at least 50 percent of the flight hours must have been in such heavy airplanes, except as indicated below. Up to 250 hours flying time acquired in heavy helicopters (gross takeoff weight in excess of 12,500 pounds) may be substituted.
- Instrument -- 75 hours.
- At least 10 of the required hours must have been logged in actual instrument weather. The balance may have been acquired in a flight simulator or as other types of instrument flight time, e.g., hood instrument.
Medical Requirements: Candidates for all pilot positions must possess a current first or second-class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations. Medical certification must be dated within the previous 12 months.
Flight Assessment: Successful completion of a flight assessment with a DEA Instructor or Standardization Pilot. The flight assessment will be completed in Fort Worth, Texas, the location of the posted vacancy, or in the geographic location of the applicant, as determined by DEA.
AND
Selective Placement Factor (SPF): To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a Commercial Pilot Certificate or Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (ATP) and either a valid First or Second-Class Medical Certificate.
AND
In addition to the minimum eligibility requirements, Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement.
GS-13: Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-12 grade level.
Specialized 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate performing the following task as part of your regular duties: 1) operating multi-engine fixed-wing airplanes, such as Beechcraft King Air 350s and ATR-42/500 over long distances to a wide variety of locations within the United States and internationally;
AND at least ONE of the following additional duties as follows: 2) formulating a flight plan through the study of maps and charts to determine routing, intermediate stops, alternate destinations, fuel requirements, estimated flying time, and if required, files the airplane flight plan; 3) adhering to flight procedures and parameters specified in the airplane flight manual; or, 4) conducting detailed post-flight inspections to identify mechanical discrepancies, abnormal systems performance, or damage incurred during flight operations.
Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM)
Qualifications Standards Handbook.
Education
Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.
Additional information
Hazards of Position: Situations that are substantially hazardous in themselves include: using night vision goggles in high- or low-speed flight at very low altitudes, operation of the aircraft in a manner not recommended by the flight manual (e.g., piloting airplanes at very low speeds and altitudes or, in the case of helicopters, flying outside of the recommended height/velocity profile), or performing assignments that require waiver of safety standards and regulations, such as using aircraft to conduct surveillance of other aircraft.
For reasonable accommodation at the Drug Enforcement Administration, please contact the Human Resources office listed in this announcement.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to similar positions in any Division/Office listed in this announcement. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives may be considered and approved under conditions specified provided the agency has determined that the position is likely to be difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive and funding for such an incentive is available.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 1-year or 2-year trial period, during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period OR trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and assessment questionnaire.
If you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements for this position a panel of subject-matter-experts (SMEs) will perform a structured review of your resume to evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement, will be assigned to one of three quality categories*:
- Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
- Highly Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all, of the requirements of the position.
- Best Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must possess the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position.
Best qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position.
*The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent or higher will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Aerospace Engineering
- Oral Communication
- Attention to Detail
- Planning & Evaluating
The assessment questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions which provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question in 200-words or less. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and have not used a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE: You may preview the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13064168.
Required Documents
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
- Resume - must be no more than two pages in length; resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Resume should include applicants' name, email address, phone number, relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year), work schedule (e.g. part or full-time), the number of hours per week worked/volunteered, job title and description of duties performed. Education/Certification/Licensure when relevant or required for position. See Guidance for Applicants on 2-Page Resume and visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information.
- Transcripts, if applicable and you are qualifying based on education. See the Qualification and Education sections of this announcement for more information. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
- Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) Eligibles, if applicable: View information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must be rated in the Highly-Qualified category for this position and submit the supporting documents listed below to receive consideration for selection priority)(e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
- Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable:
- To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
- To claim 10-point preference, submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) AND all required documentation outlined on the form to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference.
- To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim.
- To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
- For all preference claims:
- DD-214 must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals.
- If you are currently on active duty and applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement.
- For more veterans' preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
5.Flight Experience. Candidates establishing eligibility based on military flight experience must provide official orders, forms, or logbooks showing their status as a rated military pilot, flight instructor, or flight examiner, as appropriate. Other certificates that meet or exceed the requirements of the Commercial Pilot Certificate are also acceptable, e.g., an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. See also the Qualification section of this announcement for more information.
6. FAA Certification: Applicants must submit a copy of their current FAA Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate. The certificate must include an Airplane Multi-Engine Land with Instrument Rating. Failure to provide this documentation will result in ineligibility for further consideration.
7. Medical Certification: Applicants must provide a copy of their FAA Class 1 Medical Certification for multi-engine flight operations. The medical certification must be dated within the previous 12 months.
8. Flight Hours: Applicants must submit documentation verifying a minimum of 1,500 total flight hours, including at least 250 hours as Pilot in Command (PIC). Acceptable documentation includes flight logs or other official records.
9. Flight Review: Applicants must provide proof of a documented flight review completed within the preceding 24 calendar months. This documentation must be signed and dated by an authorized flight instructor or examiner.