Aviation Safety Inspector (Fire Support) Job in Salmon, ID

Vacancy No. 25-EHT-IBMAV-2FS098-1213G Department Forest Service
Salary $88,621.00 to $137,000.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/22/2025 Close Date 8/1/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Salmon, ID


Summary

This position serves as a member of the fire, fuels, and aviation programs staff and supports the Forest Service aviation program.

This position serves as an expert in providing technical expertise and knowledge on all avionics issues regarding aircraft and aviation maintenance and works as a team member for projects of the National Airworthiness program.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Nikki Sandhoff at nikki.sandhoff@usda.gov.

Duties

  • Duties listed are at the full performance GS-13 grade level.
  • Inspection and approval of agency, contractor, and cooperator aircraft avionics and unmanned aerial vehicles.
  • Issue approvals to and monitor several smaller aviation organizations that, together, are comparable in complexity to one large one.
  • Inspects organizations that perform a variety of novel and complex aviation operations including the protection of natural resources, the detection and suppression of wildland fires, and response to natural disasters and national emergencies.
  • Serve as a primary contact point with the aviation organizations regarding aircraft, avionics, and maintenance requirements.
  • Evaluate the adequacy of maintenance and training programs for avionics personnel.
  • Review proposed and completed corrections to ensure continued compliance with agency policy, regulatory requirements, manufacturer’s limitations, contractual requirements, and interagency standards.
  • Participate in Aviation Safety and Technical Assistance Teams (ASTAT), review teams, and Quality Assurance (QA) field audits during ongoing operations.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
  • Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
  • Must possess and maintain a current and valid FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) OR a ASTM NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician certificate with at least one endorsement.
  • Must attend an annual Inspector Workshop.
  • GS-12: Must obtain a FAC-COR Level 1 certification within one year of employment.
  • GS-12: Must work towards obtaining a FAC-PPM Entry Level certification.
  • GS-13: Must possess and maintain an AV3 designation on the Forest Service Authorized National Aircraft and Avionics Inspectors List. A copy of the certificate is required.
  • GS-13: Must possess and maintain a FAC-COR Level 2 certification. A copy of the certificate is required.
  • GS-13: Must possess and maintain a FAC-P/PM Entry Level certification. A copy of the certificate is required.
  • This is a Test Designated Position. You will be tested for illegal drugs prior to appointment and randomly thereafter. Appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements.

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.

Note on Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Basic Requirement for the Aviation Safety Series, 1825:

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

General Requirements
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
1. Have good distant vision in each eye and be able to read printed materials the size of typewritten characters (glasses and contact lenses permitted) without strain;
2. Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted);
3. 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.

Specialized Experience, Training, and Certification Requirements
1. Aircraft avionics experience involving the maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting of installed avionics systems on aircraft.
2. Aircraft avionics work experience (which could include supervision or auditing) in a repair station; air carrier repair facility; military repair facility; or local, state, or Federal governmental agency within the last 3 years.
3. FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) OR ASTM NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician certificate with at least one endorsement.
4. GS-13: AV3 designation on the Forest Service Authorized National Aircraft and Avionics Inspectors List.
5. GS-13: FAC-COR Level 2 certification.
6. GS-13: FAC-P/PM Entry Level certification.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, you must also possess experience in the amounts listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirement:


GS-12: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Monitoring the maintenance activities of an aviation organization engaged in natural resource and wildland fire activities to ensure compliance contractual requirements, Federal regulations, and good safety practices; and/or Assisting in managing an aviation maintenance program that includes inspection and approval of contractor and cooperator aircraft, fuel service vehicles, support equipment, and maintenance personnel; and/or Inspecting, maintaining, and approving airworthiness of multi-engine (two or more) piston or twin engine turboprop/turbo-jet aircraft after major repairs or alterations; and/or Maintaining, scheduling, and approving inspections and maintenance actions of assigned aircraft.

GS-13: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Accomplishing the maintenance activities of an aviation organization engaged in natural resource and wildland fire activities to ensure compliance with contractual requirements, federal regulations, and good safety practices; and/or Managing an aviation maintenance program that included inspection and approval of aircraft, fuel service vehicles, support equipment, and maintenance personnel; and/or Providing oversight to the inspection and approval of the airworthiness of single or multi engine piston or turboprop aircraft after major repairs or alterations; and/or Providing extensive technical, policy, and regulatory guidance in relation to avionics to internal and external customers.

TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied or guaranteed.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Salary range as shown is the locality pay area of Rest of U.S. (RUS). Please visit the Office of Personnel Management website for additional information.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the certain military spouses, explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website.

Physical Effort: Physical requirements of the position include the ability to lift, hold, and position light parts. Ability to climb, stoop, crawl in and around aircraft, and recognize color codes through normal color perception.

Work Environment: Work is done in an office setting or in aircraft maintenance facilities with considerable time spent in field conditions and in areas of wildfire where the employee is exposed to discomforts and hazards, such as smoke, adverse weather and risks resulting from supporting fire related activities.

Travel: Work requires frequent and extensive overnight travel away from home base to accomplish the surveillance, inspections, reviews and audits of Agency owned, operated, and contracted aircraft. Travel may be on short notice and over weekends and holidays.


Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

This position is not eligible for telework. This position may be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Government housing and federal day care facilities may be available.

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

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.

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.

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 your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

  • Aircraft Maintenance
  • Compliance Inspection
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Technical Competence


Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12765837

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

  • Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.
  • Current and former Federal employees:
    • Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND
    • Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.
  • Current permanent FSA County employees: most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action, (SF-50 or equivalent) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.
  • Veteran Hiring Authorities - VEOA: DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, that shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active-duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment.
  • If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Eligible Applicants: please review the required documents for this hiring authority on the Forest Service website.
  • Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
  • If claiming eligibility under a special hiring authority or an interchange agreement with another merit system not listed above, see the requirements for that authority and submit the required supporting documentation. Go to: USAJOBS Hiring Path for Special Authorities or Special Hiring Authority for more information.

How to Apply

Please view Tips for Applicants - a guide to the Forest Service application process.

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Mountain Time (MT), Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.

To begin, in USAJOBS click "Apply" and follow the instructions to attach your resume and required documents, complete the assessment questionnaire, and submit your application.

NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.

Agency contact information

HRM Contact Center
Address
USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You may receive an email asking if you are still interested in the position and requesting information by a given deadline. Failure to timely respond to this email may result in non-selection.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to sm.fs.hrm_elr@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.


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