Summary The incumbent provides authoritative technical expertise and acts as the interoffice focal point in manufacturing inspection-related areas of domestic and foreign @type certification; production certification and approval of aeronautical product manufacturing facilities; and original airworthiness certification of a broad range of aeronautical products. Responsibilities Represents the MIDO in coordinating activities with internal and external stakeholders, including training and presenting on relevant topics at Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry conferences, symposia, meetings and seminars. Established policies/procedures provide guidance for most assignments, but allow some discretion for the incumbent to select the most appropriate approach or to recommend new approaches. 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. Demonstrates substantial independence in planning time and coordinates only as needed with a manager, team leader or more experienced employee to prioritize tasks and use assigned resources. Refers problems and work issues to their manager or more experienced employee when guidelines are not available or applicable. Work is reviewed periodically at major stages of assigned tasks and at completion to ensure timeliness and alignment with the requirements of projects and/or work activities. Completed work is compliant and accepted without significant changes. Provides authoritative information on certification policy and technical concerns to other experts in the aviation industry, the Federal Aviation Administration FAA, civil airworthiness authorities (CAA), the National Transportation Safety Board, and other interested groups. Coordinates between the MIDO and the Aircraft Certification Office (ACO) for planning, directing, and evaluating aircraft certification projects. Provides specialized technical expertise to the ACO and MIDO managers and effects coordination or liaison on matters involving interoffice activity. Applies risk based decision making principals when dealing with unusual and diverse planning, scheduling, and coordination problems involving widely varied complex technical issues. Serves on multi-discipline certification teams consisting of agency personnel who represent all specialty areas. Advises ACO and MIDO management on, and assures compliance with, manufacturing inspection related policy matters. Coordinates the evaluation of design aspects on behalf of FAA engineering personnel when such determinations can best be made by physical examination of the proto@type or first production article. Determines that the applicant has met conformity and related manufacturing inspection requirements necessary for issuance of FAA design approvals. As a technical expert and consultant proposes, justifies, and defends new or revised standards representing the necessary level of safety. Conducts evaluations/inspections in accordance with applicable FAA orders, oversight systems, surveillance procedures, and other established policies. In collaboration with the manager, articulates and communicates assignments to office employees. Often helps others plan and identify resources to accomplish projects/programs/tasks. Identifies and informs managers and/or other employees of problems/issues that require their attention and helps them develop and recommend solutions. Performs other duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment We are not accepting applications from noncitizens. Qualifications All applicants must meet the following requirements: 1. Not more than 2 separate incidents involving Federal Aviation Regulations violations in the last 5 years. 2. Have a valid state driver's license. 3. Be fluent in the English language. 4. Have no chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and 5. Be a high school graduate or equivalent. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: 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 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. Applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing) positions must meet one of the following requirements. 1. Experience in the area of quality systems, methods, and techniques in the manufacture of products and/or articles that demonstrates the ability to determine whether aircraft and related products meet the approved design criteria, or the design criteria on which approval is being sought and is in condition for safe operations; or 2. Experience involving either the actual issuance of airworthiness certificates or having responsibility for managing programs leading to the issuance of original airworthiness certificates or original export airworthiness approvals for products and/or articles; or 3. Experience involving a combination of paragraph A and paragraph B above. Acceptable specialized experience for paragraph A includes actual experience in a majority of the following areas: 1. First article, in process and final assembly inspection. 2. Quality assurance provisions of special processes (e.g. heat treating, brazing, welding, carburizing, plating, CAD-CAM, robotics, software quality control, etc.,) 3. Destructive and non-destructive inspection. 4. Manufacturing processes. 5. Airworthiness assurance. 6. Developing and implementing quality systems and procedures. 7. Testing procedures; and 8. Use of approved design data. The experience in paragraph A or B is typically acquired in such positions as: 1. Quality engineer. 2. Quality systems supervisor/manager. 3. Quality systems auditor. 4. Service representative with technical quality experience. 5. FAA designee such as a designated manufacturing inspection representative (DMIR); or 6. Designated airworthiness representative (DAR) authorized to perform manufacturing inspection functions on behalf of the FAA. To qualify for this position at the FG/GS-14 level, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-I, FG/GS-13 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 described as: Knowledge and experience of aerospace quality assurance systems in a position of leadership, or having the ability to make decisions independently, as it relates to an aerospace manufacturing environment in the areas of assembly, test and final inspection, and airworthiness determination as evidenced by practical experience working in this environment. Specialized experience for this position should include: (1) Demonstrated experience and working knowledge with FAA Production approval regulations, and working at an FAA Production Approval Holder or applicant for an FAA production approval (PC, PMA, TSOA, APIS) in an aerospace quality control/quality assurance or Manufacturing/Operations/Systems/Quality Engineering position working with less complex or limited @types of aviation products holding FAA design approvals and less autonomy. (2) Resolve conventional manufacturing inspection issues in compliance with established FAA regulations and established FAA certification procedures. Specialized experience may have been acquired as an FAA designee authorized to perform manufacturing inspection functions on behalf of the FAA, such as a Designated Manufacturing Inspection Representative (DMIR), a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR), or unit member of an Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Qualifications 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 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 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. Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the MSF 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. Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSAs): 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 section, 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. 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 Not applicable 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 located in AIR-852. However, this vacancy announcement may be used to fill future vacancies in any of the other AIR Division Offices. Only the duty locations listed below will be considered: Burlington, MA 32.58% Interviews: The Agency may choose to interview one, some, none, or all candidates from the selection certificate or any other valid recruitment/referral list submitted. Security Requirement: Selection and placement are contingent upon waiver or completion of satisfactory security requirements for 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. 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. This is a bargaining unit position. This position is represented by PASS: AIR MIDO, MISO & Cert Mgmt Units. SALARY: This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA
