Aviation Safety Inspector (Air Carrier Operations) Job in FAA Flight Standards Duty Locations Nationwide

Vacancy No. AWP-AFX-26-BAR4163-97351 Department Federal Aviation Administration
Salary $107,446.00 to $139,684.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 3/11/2026 Close Date 3/31/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
FAA Flight Standards Duty Locations Nationwide


Summary

Serves as an international Aviation Safety Inspector responsible for supporting, developing and managing the various International Program Division responsibilities regarding the monitoring of foreign air carriers.

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent AVS and AMA-200 employees.

Duties

Serves as an international Aviation Safety Inspector responsible for supporting, developing and managing the various International Program Division responsibilities regarding the monitoring of foreign air carriers. May involve managing a specific program(s) within the branch, which includes: the foreign code share program; foreign carrier requests under 14 CFR parts 129 and 375; operations specifications; foreign ramp inspection programs; policy development; bilateral agreements and development of Flight Standards inspector guidance under applicable agency orders. The incumbent will be responsible for applying expert knowledge of and experience with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) for the development and implementation of standards, programs, and procedures for FAA field personnel and the public governing all matters of Air Carrier Operations safety issues.

Participates in national and international working groups and panels with other organization elements of the agency, or other government agencies, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and industry representatives for the purpose of resolving complex and controversial problems having a direct influence on the safety of assigned technical programs operations, facilities, and equipment. Conducts or participates in group or team meetings which include representatives of other government agencies, the aviation industry, aviation organizations, state, municipal and foreign governments where assigned programs and responsibilities are involved. Develops operational policies, including advisory circulars, inspector guidelines, and training standards, and other applicable standards in support of assigned programs. Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of division policy in assigned program areas.

Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of division policy in assigned programs areas. Develops policies, including advisory circulars, inspector guidelines, and training standards related to certification, inspection, surveillance and operation of assigned program areas. Reviews and evaluates, on a continuing basis, established rules and regulations to assure they have kept pace with needs to which they were directed and that they are still reasonable, necessary, and adequate. Assures effective coordination of assigned programs and activities with Safety Assurance offices, other organizational segments of the Division, the Agency and organizations outside of the agency.

Prepares, assists, and advises on proposals under which FAA Flight Standards would work with U.S. military agencies, Department of Defense, U.S. State Department, Office of the DOT Secretary, and foreign governments under reimbursable agreements or other International agreements and ensures coordination within International Operations Division, the Office of International Aviation (API) and others as required. Propose realistic time scheduling in terms of clearance with DOS and other agencies, and that actions are within the framework of approved policies and procedures.

Prepares a variety of correspondence to other organizations within Flight Standards, aviation industry, other governmental agencies, Members of Congress, and the general public, much of which is highly technical and of high priority. Assures correspondence is properly coordinated and that it is technically and grammatically accurate, clear and concise, and that its tone and content reflect the philosophy, policies, and objectives of Flight Standards and the FAA.

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).
  • Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
  • If the Agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed.
  • Ingrade/downgrade bids will be accepted.

Qualifications

OPM Qualification Standard for the Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) specialty (from the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions) is located at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1800/aviation-safety-series-1825/

General Requirements for All Positions:

  1. Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years;

  2. Valid State driver's license;

  3. Fluency in the English language;

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

  5. High school diploma or equivalent.

Medical Requirements for All Positions:

Applicants must be physically able to perform the duties of the Aviation Safety Inspector position in a safe and efficient manner and must meet all of the following requirements.

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

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

  3. Not have any physical condition that would cause them to be a hazard to themselves or others 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 the aircraft must:

  1. Possess a valid second–class medical certificate in accordance with 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.

Specialized Experience:

When the predominant work involves air carrier operations, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) positions must meet all of the following 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 100 flight hours during the last 3 years;
  5. Airline Transport Pilot Certificate or Commercial Pilot Certificate with instrument airplane rating (Department of Navy positions require pilot experience as demonstrated by previous ATP level performance in large multi-engine airplanes and helicopters);
  6. Possession of a valid second-class FAA medical certificate (For positions within the Department of Navy, applicants must also be physically qualified to ride as an observer aboard squadron aircraft. In addition, must also meet physical requirements to travel and lift heavy objects while performing mishap investigations); and
  7. Minimum 1,500 total flight hours.

To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-I, FG/GS-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: responsibility for evaluation safety regulations for US and/or foreign civil aviation authorities; experience managing or coordination specific aviation programs including development of recommendations for changes/improvements; experience in international civil aviation investigation, inspection, surveillance, enforcement and certification.

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

Certificate and Ratings: This position requires a certificate and ratings for minimum qualification in the following specialty: Air Carrier Operations; a copy of the certificate and ratings are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 1825 specialty of Air Carrier Operations. Certificate and ratings are not required from applicants who are currently occupying (or previously held) Air Carrier Operations 1825 series position.

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.

Security Requirements: Non-critical sensitive (2): This position requires completion & favorable adjudication of a Tier 3 (T3) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained and approved.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience.

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

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

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 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

In-grade/Downgrade applications will be accepted

Current FAA employee: You MUST submit a copy of your most recent (non-award) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, or equivalent document that verifies tenure (block 24, code 1 or 2). Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in non-consideration for this position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.



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

If you need to submit additional documents to supplement your online application, e.g. transcripts, SF-50, or veterans' documentation, you may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS. Supplemental documentation can also be faxed to 1 (424) 405-7365 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

Applicants may be required to complete one or multiple assessments as part of the evaluation process. This assessment aims to evaluate the competencies and qualifications essential for the position.

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.

RESUMES ARE LIMITED TO TWO PAGES. IN DESCRIBING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC AND INCLUDE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS POSITION.

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)

  • Relevant work experience: should align to the Job Announcement and address all required qualifications and include job title, employer name, start/end dates, number of hours worked per week.
  • Education, certification or licensure: If required, education should include school/institution name, completion date, degree type and GPA.

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

Annika Ramon
Phone
1 (424) 405-7335
Fax
1 (424) 405-7365
Email
Annika.S.Ramon@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
AWP Regional HR Services Branch
777 S. Aviation Blvd. - Suite 150
AHF-S110
El Segundo, CA 90245
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.