Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialist (Assistant General Manager - MSS-4) Job in Des Plaines, IL

Vacancy No. AGL-AT-26-0073-99222 Department Federal Aviation Administration
Salary $207,951.00 to $228,000.00 Grade LL to LL
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/16/2026 Close Date 6/29/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Des Plaines, IL


Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialist (Assistant General Manager - MSS-4)

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
ATO - Central Service Area - Great Lakes Region - Chicago District (TCAU)

Summary

Serves as Assistant General Manager (AGM) within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO); Air Traffic Services; Chicago District Office, responsible for managing and coordinating all air traffic operations and/or support activities and services within the assigned District. The AGM shares full managerial responsibility and authority, reporting to the General Manager (GM) and acts in the absence of the GM, as required.

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

ATO-Wide - Open to current permanent FAA employees assigned to the ATO and AMA-500 Lines of Business

Duties

Manages and directs a highly technical workforce consisting of numerous air traffic facilities of varying size, type, and complexity.

Applies extensive knowledge and experience in management of terminal and en route air traffic facilities to integrate air traffic operations, support services and administrative programs to advance the tactical use of concepts and technologies to achieve the strategic goals of the ATO and the FAA.

Ensures that all district operational and support plans are integrated with the operational philosophy of the ATS directorate at all levels. Provides input and guidance on policies, standards, and procedures as regards to all district activities, to ensure the safe, secure and efficient use of navigable airspace. Identifies information needs, training requirements, and ad hoc and recurring reporting requirements.

Applies experience in managing and directing air traffic operations and/or support activities to maintain close connectivity with field facility operations and support activities throughout the District and to ensure that the GM and necessary district staff are able to respond quickly to unexpected and emergency situations.

Applies a comprehensive understanding of the principles of management and strategic planning to plan, direct, coordinate, evaluate and manage the operational and support activities of a highly technical matrix organization consisting of Air Traffic Managers and Support Managers. Works on complex projects and programs based on the objectives of the organization along with the GM and is responsible for strategic and tactical planning, communicating the organization's vision and objectives, setting priorities, coaching, and developing staff and organizational capabilities.

Assists the GM as the focal for labor-management relations, civil rights, legal and security issues in consultation with all Staff Offices. Supports and participates in the labor-management partnership process, and fosters a work environment where all employees are treated in a fair and equitable manner. Responsible for the coordination of district management investigations. Demonstrates the ability to collaborate with multiple organizational units; including the bargaining unit representatives, and projects to accomplish mission objectives by addressing tactical issues that require cooperation between different facilities, districts, and service units.

Applies a broad understanding of financial management, project and administrative processes to define, acquire and allocate budget, staff and other resources to accomplish objectives. Fosters continuous improvement in the delivery of air traffic services. Continually reviews and evaluates the performance of operational and support activities to ensure they are aligned with long and short term ATO and FAA goals and objectives, takes corrective action on those issues that affect the efficient operation of the organization, and coordinates action between facilities and identifies creative ways to improve performance. Serves as second-level reviewer for performance evaluations of appropriate subordinate managers and employees in the operations/support areas.

Meets and has frequent contacts with both internal and external customers including subordinates, other peer management representatives, union representatives, administrative support staff within the district, higher ranking managers and supervisors, service center personnel, members of the state, local and federal government, other foreign government aviation officials, general public, representatives of the aviation industry and military. Contacts take place in meetings and conferences or in unplanned situations where the AGM is a designated contact point. These meetings have the potential for considerable consequence to the National Airspace (NAS). The AGM has the delegated authority, within guidelines, to make commitments on behalf of the GM and DO in these meetings and situations.

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.
  • A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate they possess required specialized experience. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

1. Must have held an FAA 2152 FV-J/FG-14 or above regional or headquarters positions for at least 1 year (52 weeks);

OR

2. Must have been facility rated or area certified for at least 1 year (52 weeks) at an Air Traffic Services (ATS) facility.

NOTE: An employee who has been facility rated or area certified for at least 1 year (52 weeks) in an ATS facility that is upgraded is considered to meet the qualification requirements of the upgraded position;

OR

3. Must have held an MSS position for at least 1 year (52 weeks) in an ATS facility.

In addition to the qualification requirements above, applicants must have held an MSS-3 position or above in an ATS facility OR a 2152 FV-J/FG-14 position or above for at least 1 year (52 weeks) in order to qualify for this position.

Specialized experience includes:

Experience managing a large, complex technically oriented safety organization to develop objectives for and to align the work of subordinate technical organizations. Experience applying program/project management principles to achieve operational goals and lead strategic planning, facility planning and integrated consensus building across ATO Services Units.

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

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.

1. As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative, the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Managerial Selection Factors (MSF) 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 MSF.

In lieu of providing a MSF narrative response in the text box listed below each MSF, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each MSF. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your MSF 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.

2. In accordance with HRPM EMP 1.29/1.29a, this position may be a Career Enhancement Assignment/Career Progression. The selectee(s) may be eligible for pay retention. Career Diversity is not enhanced when an employee is assigned to a staff or supervisory position in which they previously held on a permanent basis. CEP/CP selectees will be required to certify eligibility.

3. Interviews will be conducted IAW applicable Agency Policy.

This is not a bargaining unit 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

Applicants must apply online in order to receive consideration. Hard copy applications cannot be accepted.

In addition to uploading a resume and all other required application forms, applicants must complete and submit the first page of FAA Form 3330-43, Rating of Air Traffic Experience with their bid. The form must include from and to dates of experience, position title, series and grade/level of all positions held. The form must be uploaded through USAJOBS by the closing date of this announcement.

Applicants will be considered ineligible if the form and SF-50 are not received by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: Applicants are reminded that FAA Form 3330-43 is required and NOT FAA Form 3330-43-1.



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/.



Forms:

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.

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.

Agency contact information

Eve Kuo
Phone
1 (202) 267-3038
Fax
1 (847) 294-7858
Email
eve.i.kuo@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
AGL Regional HR Services Branch
2300 E. Devon Ave., Room 250
AHF-N310
Des Plaines, IL 60018
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.

Federal Aviation Administration

At the FAA, the sky is not the limit—it is just the beginning. Exciting new opportunities are emerging in aviation and aerospace. Significant investments are advancing the research and development of autonomous vehicles, environmentally friendly electric aircraft, high-speed and long-endurance solar-powered aircraft, and new types of space vehicles. Success with these new technologies and vehicle types will introduce new ways to transport people and goods expanding aviation's footprint in transportation. People are our strength. We are a diverse workforce of over 44,000 located nationwide and spanning over 120 occupations to include air traffic control specialists, aviation safety inspectors, engineers, scientists, technicians, and business professionals. Join us in our mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.

Agency contact information

Eve Kuo
Phone
1 (202) 267-3038
Fax
1 (847) 294-7858
Email
eve.i.kuo@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
AGL Regional HR Services Branch
2300 E. Devon Ave., Room 250
AHF-N310
Des Plaines, IL 60018
US

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