Aviation Safety Inspector (Air Carrier Flight Oversight ) Job in Des Plaines, IL

Vacancy No. AAL-AVS-25-AKWL-95557 Department Federal Aviation Administration
Salary $139,211.00 to $180,974.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/27/2025 Close Date 7/17/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Des Plaines, IL


Summary

The Assistant Principal Oversight Inspector (APOI) serves as a full assistant to a Principal Inspector performing the full range of certification, surveillance, and inspection duties for assigned air carriers, air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees. Has program responsibility to assure assigned organizations meet Title 14 of the CFR (14 CFR) with respect to flight oversight programs. Assists in the establishment of work programs for inspection and surveillance.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent FAA employees

Duties

Under the general direction of the Principal Inspector or Supervisory Principal Inspector accomplishes the following duties:

Technical Administration

On a continuing basis, ensures assigned organizations are properly and adequately organized, staffed and equipped; establishes and conducts adequate training programs; maintains record keeping systems; and facilities and ensures procedures meet regulatory requirements.

Chairs joint Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry meetings. Maintains regular contact with organizations assigned and coordinates with management officials. Requires or directs correction of deficiencies/discrepancies and refuses or withdraws approval if they cannot be resolved.

Responsible for conducting enforcement investigations and preparation of final reports and recommendations on disposition. Performs or supervises the emergency suspension of certificates or cancellation of flight oversight specifications. Conducts or directs the reexamination of certificated airmen or recertification of an operator or agency.

Conducts investigations of public complaints, congressional inquiries, and aircraft incidents and accidents. Provides verbal and/or written technical assistance to legal counsel, testifies at court trials and formal hearings, and gives dispositions.

Coordinates minimum equipment list (MEL) approvals with the principal inspector. Takes enforcement action in instances of noncompliance with the MEL.

Coordinates with geographic inspectors for the accomplishment of non-routine air carrier surveillance

Certification

Approves/accepts or disapproves/rejects manuals and revisions to such manuals. May require amendments to previously approved manuals to correct any conflict with regulatory requirements; eliminate unsafe practices; and/or improve the specificity of instruction.

Evaluates training programs to ensure they meet requirements of 14 CFR. Approves or disapproves these training programs including flight simulators, training devices, or other equipment used in these programs.

Approves/disapproves designation of check airmen and makes recommendations on the appointment of designees.

Evaluates operations and facilities by on-site inspections and review of reports by geographic inspectors or others. Negotiates changes essential or desirable in their policies and procedures. Determines appropriate methods and/or plans for securing corrective action and determines through on-site inspection or inspector reports the effectiveness of any action.

Evaluates and approves/disapproves requests to operate under conditions not previously authorized and may prescribe additional conditions and limitations as appropriate.

Approves the original issuance of flight oversight specifications and issues original operating certificates. Approved amendments to flight oversight specifications. Evaluates the safety of proposed changes in route or airport authorizations; prescribes changes required before approval.

Directs or participates in flight evaluations to determine compliance with 14 CFR. Recommends changes that will be required prior to approval.

Surveillance

Responsible for monitoring all phases of flight oversight including training programs and records, base and station facilities, and route systems. Coordinates with and reviews reports from geographic inspectors and others to identify trends which indicate deterioration in the safety of operations. Directs or suggests changes required to correct such trends.

Responsible for monitoring the activities of designated examiners, check airmen, and instructors.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents).
  • Position is designated as Moderate Risk; a background investigation may be required.
  • This position will be filled as a temporary promotion, temporary reassignment, or detail not to exceed two years.
  • It may be extended, it may be terminated early, or it may become permanent without further competition.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements. All applicants must meet the following basic requirements:

a. Not more than two separate incidents involving Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations violations in the last five years;

b. Valid State driver’s license;

c. Fluency in the English language;

d. No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and

e. High school diploma or equivalent.

Medical Requirements. Applicants must be physically able to perform the duties of the ASI position in a safe and efficient manner, with or without a reasonable accommodation. The minimum medical requirements include the following:

a. Have good distance vision in each eye and be able to read, without strain, printed materials the size of typewritten characters (glasses and contact lenses permitted);

b. Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); and

c. Not have any physical condition that would cause them to be a hazard to themselves or others or that would interfere with their ability to fly as passengers in a variety of aircraft.

In addition, applicants for positions that require participation in the operation of aircraft must:

1. Possess a valid second-class medical certificate in accordance with Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) regulations; and

2. Pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA.

Applicants not requiring valid second-class medical certificates who are tentatively selected will be required to:

  1. Provide documentation from a board-certified physician certifying that they meet the minimal medical requirements; or
  2. Individuals who do not meet the minimum medical requirements but who are otherwise qualified will receive an individualized assessment to determine whether they can perform the essential functions of the position.

In addition to meeting the basic and medical requirements, applicants must meet the following additional qualification requirements:

1. At least 1 year of pilot experience in multi-engine aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight;

2. Not more than 2 flying accidents during the last 5 years in which the applicant's pilot error was involved;

3. Professional flying skill as demonstrated in a simulator check to Airline Transport Pilot Standard;

4. Minimum of 100 flight hours during the last 3 years;

5. Airline Transport Pilot Certificate or Commercial Pilot Certificate with instrument airplane rating;

6. Possession of a valid second-class FAA medical certificate; and

7. Minimum 1,500 total flight hours.

In addition, applicants must demonstrate in their application that they possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-I/FG-13 level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience is defined as: exercising certificate authority and safety responsibility over a complex of broad and varied air carrier organizations such as air carriers, executive and/or industrial operators, designees, and flight schools when the activities monitored equate collectively to a major air carrier in terms of size and complexity of aircraft fleet employed, scope and technical complexity of operations, management sophistication, industry leadership, and public impact.

For Lateral Movements Between 1825 Specialties:

To assist in determining qualification requirements, applicants transferring between specialties at the same grade level are strongly encouraged to complete the appropriate Qualifications Assessment Tool (QAT) check sheet and upload it along with their resume. Check sheets are contained in Order 3410.26, Flight Standards Service Air Carrier and General Aviation Qualifications Assessment Tool for AFS Aviation Safety Inspectors.

The recency of specialized experience is waived for current FAA employees in the 1825 series.

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.

Education

Education is not qualifying for this position and may not be substituted for experience.

Preview Job Questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the KSA listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

If the Agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

In-grade/downgrade applications will be accepted.

This position will be filled as a temporary promotion, temporary reassignment, or detail not to exceed 2 years. The appointment may be extended, it may be terminated early, or it may become permanent without further competition.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Required Documents

Applicants must apply on-line, through USAJOBS, to receive consideration; Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications cannot be accepted. If you need to submit additional documents to supplement your on-line application, e.g. transcripts, SF-50, or veteran's documents, you may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS. Supplemental documentation and college transcripts can also be faxed to (907) 271-5367 on or before the closing date of this announcement. Please include your name and the vacancy announcement number on each of your faxed pages and redact all Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as social security number and date of birth.



If you are an FAA employee, you MUST provide a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) containing information in Blocks 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 24 so it can be used to verify your position title, series, grade, tenure, and organization of record by the closing date of the announcement. You may fax your SF-50 or upload it into the on-line application. If faxing the SF-50, please ensure you include the vacancy announcement number on the faxed copy.

If you are an FAA employee, you can access and print your SF-50 from the eOPF system https://eopf.opm.gov/dot/.

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

You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE OR EDUCATION.

We strongly encourage applicants to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder in the creation of resumes.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:

  • Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)

  • Duties (be specific in describing your duties)

  • Employer's name and address

  • Supervisor name and phone number

  • Start and end dates including month and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)

  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)

  • Salary (optional)


Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide ALL of this information may result in a finding of ineligible.

You may upload completed documents to your USAJOBS Account. This will provide you the opportunity to utilize the uploaded information again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide, Document Upload Guide, for more information on uploading and re-using the documents in your applications.

Agency contact information

Wendy Livingston
Phone
1 (907) 271-5376
Fax
1 (907) 271-5367
Email
wendy.livingston@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
AAL Regional HR Services Division
222 West 7th Ave #14
AHF-N100
Anchorage, AK 99513
US

Next steps

Once we receive your complete application, the Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Eligible and qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. You will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

For instructions on how to check the status of your application, please go to: USAJOBS Help Guide.

Important - If you make any changes to your application, you must resubmit it. If you make changes to your application and do not resubmit it, your changes will not be considered part of your application package, and only your previously submitted application will be evaluated.

All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request. Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.


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


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