Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) (General Aviation Principal Maintenance Inspector) Job in Minneapolis, MN

Vacancy No. ASW-FS-25-EL134-94336 Department Federal Aviation Administration
Salary $135,765.00 to $176,493.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/20/2025 Close Date 3/12/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Minneapolis, MN


Summary

The incumbent of this position is assigned to the Flight Standards Service. The incumbent is responsible
for applying substantial 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 Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) field personnel and the public governing all matters to general aviation
maintenance safety issues.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent AVS-Wide and AMA-200 employees

Duties

The aviation safety inspector (ASI) receives administrative direction from management in terms of
broadly defined missions or functions. The ASI, mostly independently plans, designs, and carries out
programs, projects, studies, or other work. The ASI provides policy assistance to field level ASIs on
difficult or complex policy interpretations. The work is normally accepted without change. Completed
work may be reviewed for adherence to FAA policy and for assurance that project requirements have
been fulfilled.

Some FG-14 assignments involve Service wide responsibility for application of expert knowledge of
general aviation maintenance. Other FG-14 inspectors establish technical procedures and performance
yardsticks and review maintenance programs, or who have problems of comparable scope and
complexity, or a uniquely complex group of general aviation organizations. Assignments at this level are
of great scope and unusual complexity and the organizations monitored are major factors in the industry.

ASIs at the FG-14 level establish technical procedures and performance indexes and review complete
maintenance programs for general aviation organizations who are leaders in the aviation industry, or who
have problems of comparable scope and complexity, or a uniquely complex group of general aviation
organizations. Assignments at this level are of great scope and unusual complexity.

FG-14 employees evaluate maintenance programs for organizations which utilize complex aircraft,
systems, and equipment. Because of organizational complexity or the advanced technology incorporated
in the aircraft, systems, and equipment, employees must exercise originality to resolve unique problems.
They frequently rely on engineers and designers for specific technical guidance although much of their
work is carried out under very broad policy guidelines. Supervisors give FG-14 employees a wide leeway
for independent action. Other inspectors seek their advice on problems relating to aircraft and their
operation and maintenance. Because of the precedent-setting nature or substantial effect on the aviation
industry or public safety, their decisions may be reviewed and approved at a higher policy-setting level.

The ASI plans and directs the use of time and resources to accomplish organizational objectives. He or
she defines, organizes, and uses resources to accomplish work activities within established schedules,
analyzes program requirements and accomplishments, and makes or directs adjustments as necessary to
address organizational needs.

Decisions typically have broad impact on the operation or maintenance of a particular type of advanced
aircraft, major air carriers, or a geographic area containing a variety of novel and/or complex aviation
operations. Decisions also have a significant effect on the safety of the flying public.

FG-14 employees have critically important and frequently controversial contacts with key officials of
major manufacturers, major carriers, and general aviation organizations. Contacts are made to resolve
issues which affect the initial certification and major modifications of aircraft, maintenance programs, and
their effect on safety and compliance with regulations.

The ASI provides guidance to field level staff to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique
problems, with the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist. Develop plans,
techniques, and policies to address current and anticipated problems and issues. Works with management
to solve problems.

Performs other duties as required.

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).
  • In-grade/Downgrade Applications will be accepted.
  • Security Requirement: Moderate Risk (5). This position requires completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. (Subject to a five-year period of reinvestigation).

Qualifications

OPM General Schedule Qualification Standards for 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, with or without a reasonable accommodation. The minimum medical requirements include 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.

When the predominant work involves general aviation maintenance, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) positions must meet all of the following requirements.

  1. Experience involving the maintenance and repair of airframes, power plants, and aircraft systems with responsibility for certifying airworthiness.
  2. Maintenance experience with aircraft 12,500 pounds or less maximum certificated takeoff weight.
  3. Aircraft maintenance experience in a repair station; air carrier or airline repair facility; military repair facility; or local, state or Federal governmental agency.
  4. Aircraft maintenance work experience within the last 3 years.
  5. FAA Mechanic Certificate with airframe and power plant ratings.

Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the 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 and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes experience assisting, conducting, or performing various technical functions related to certification, surveillance, investigation, and enforcement activities. Additional experience may be in investigating and reporting on accidents, incidents, and violations.

Note: Recency of specialized experience is waived for current and former FAA employees in the 1825 series.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

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.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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.

For Lateral Movements Between 1825 Specialties: Check sheets are contained in Order 3410.26, Flight Standards Service Air Carrier and General Aviation Qualifications Assessment Tool for AFS Aviation Safety Inspectors. This order is located at: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/3410.26.pdf

Interviews: If the agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed.

Salary: Salary iscovered by the PASS/AVS Bargaining Contract.

Incomplete applications: Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your application/resume MUST have your official title, grade and series on your work history.

Security Clearance Requirement: Moderate Risk (5). This position requires completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. Subject to a 5 year period reinvestigation.

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

Current or Former Federal employee (including a 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.

Applicants are reminded that Form SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) is required and NOT Form SF-52 (Request for Personnel Action).



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

Eric Larson
Phone
1 (817) 222-4457
Fax
1 (817) 222-5852
Email
eric.r.larson@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
ASW Regional HR Services Branch
10101 Hillwood Parkway
AHF-S410
Fort Worth, TX 76177
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.