Summary The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders. Responsibilities This position is located within the Department of the Interior (DOI), U.S. Wildland Fire Service (WFS), to be filled in Albuquerque, NM; Atlanta, GA; Bangor, ME; Boise, ID; Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; or Sacramento, CA. At the full performance level GS-13 the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: Working independently or within a team, leads or conducts surveillance and inspections of diverse @types of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft and ancillary equipment to ensure maintenance and safety compliance with contract requirements, as well as WFS policy, Federal Aviation Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and other Federal regulations. Serves as the Zone Manager, responsible for planning, supervising, and coordinating a team of inspectors to evaluate the DOI fleet aircraft, contractor aircraft and cooperating federal, state, and local agency aviation operations, in an assigned geographical area for use on DOI missions. Prior to inspection, coordinates review of vendor records and reports of aircraft and ancillary equipment and facilities to be reviewed. Approves or disapproves contractor aircraft and equipment used in Government missions. When approved, issues a card authorizing use of the aircraft and equipment in all requirements. When disapproved, issues deficiencies and performs re-inspections of aircraft or correction documents as needed. Serves as the point-of-contact for coordinating with other WFS authorized Inspectors, the U.S. Forest Service and applicable DOI Bureau personnel to conduct the required inspections. Functions as subject matter expert (SME) for teammates, internal WFS personnel, Bureaus, vendors, contracting officers, and other government agencies, on a wide range of aviation subjects. Fields inquiries from multiple sources with consistency and accuracy in support of organizational goals. Uses available resources to identify and resolve technical problems related to safety and adequacy of operations, operation policy/procedures, qualifications and proficiency of pilots, training deficiencies, suitability of aircraft for missions performed, efficient utilization of equipment, technical condition of aircraft and special equipment, and proper upkeep of flight logs and maintenance records. Briefs and debriefs management as required. During the life of the contract, independently conducts periodic scheduled and unscheduled inspections to determine the contractor's continued compliance with the requirements of the contract. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service has determined that the duties of this position has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. This position is included in a bargaining unit. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Local 2052, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit. Travel: Travel - 25% or less, on average annually -- The travel requirement is generally higher from January through June, and may require 10 or more nights per month. Travel is significantly less July through December. Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment. Salary Range Information (Per Annum): Albuquerque, New Mexico GS-12: $90,479 - $117,625 per annum GS-13: $107,592 - $139,871 per annum Atlanta, Georgia GS-12: $94,654 - $123,052 per annum GS-13: $112,556 - $146,325 per annum Boise, Idaho & Bangor, Maine GS-12: $89,508 - $116,362 per annum GS-13: $106,437 - $138,370 per annum Denver, Colorado GS-12: $99,800 - $129,742 per annum GS-13: $118,675 - $154,280 per annum Phoenix, Arizona GS-12: $93,629 - $121,720 per annum GS-13: $111,338 - $144,741 per annum Portland, Oregon GS-12: $96,443 - $125,378 per annum GS-13: $114,468 - $149,091 per annum Sacramento, California GS-12: $99,218 - $128,987 per annum GS-13: $117,984 - $153,382 per annum First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level. This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available. This vacancy is also announced as WFS-1060-26-ETA-015(DEU) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Competitive Examining procedures. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/. Qualifications Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet the (A) General Requirements, (B) Medical Requirements, (C) General Aviation Requirements, (D) Specialized Experience, (E) Additional Requirements and the (F) Selective Placement Factor for the grade to which you are applying. (A) General Requirements for All Positions: Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years; Valid State driver's license; Fluency in the English language; No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and High school diploma or equivalent. (B) 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: 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; Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); 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. (C) General Aviation Maintenance Requirements: In addition to the above, applicants must also possess the general aviation maintenance minimum qualification requirements: Experience involving the maintenance and repair of airframes, power plants, and aircraft systems with responsibility for certifying airworthiness. Maintenance experience with aircraft 12,500 pounds or less maximum certificated takeoff weight. Aircraft maintenance experience in a repair station; air carrier or airline repair facility; military repair facility; or local, state or Federal governmental agency. Aircraft maintenance work experience within the last 3 years. FAA Mechanic Certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings. (D) Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing the inspection, maintenance and repair of airframes, powerplants and aircraft systems with responsibility of certifying airworthiness; performing maintenance inspections of diverse @types of rotary wing aircraft and ancillary equipment to ensure quality of maintenance and safety compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations; and advising management and teammates on a wide range of aviation subjects. MUST MEET ALL To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing the inspection, maintenance and repair of airframes, powerplants and aircraft systems with responsibility of certifying airworthiness; providing oversight of maintenance inspections of diverse @types of rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft and ancillary equipment to ensure quality of maintenance and safety compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations; advising management and teammates on a wide range of aviation subjects; and possesses at least 3 seasons experience maintaining and inspecting aircraft in an austere field environment (field environment is defined as: on-site aircraft maintenance conducted away from main base of operations in terrain such as mountainous, desert, forest, rural, remote or other unimproved areas, in support of resource aircraft operations). MUST MEET ALL (E) Additional Requirements: Must either currently possess an FAA Inspection Authorization (IA); or possess the qualifications per 14 CFR 65.91 to obtain an FAA IA. Documentation of valid FAA Inspection Authorization must be provided by Entry on Duty date or within 30 days of job offer, whichever comes first. (F) Selective Placement Factor: All applicants must have: a. 3 years of documented experience within the last 6 years actively maintaining and repairing certificated aircraft as a FAA certificated A&P mechanic in a CFR 14 part 145, part 135, or part 91 aviation operation, or for a local, state, or federal agency, in addition to any military repair facility experience. -OR- b. Documented experience serving as an authorized aircraft inspector for a state or federal government agency responsible for issuing approval or disapproval documentation (carding) for FAA certificated small aircraft (12,500 lbs. or below). Note: You are required to provide documentation in your resume that you meet all of the requirements outlined above and experience claimed in your application. Failure to provide support in your resume that you meet the requirements outlined above and claimed experience may result in disqualification from consideration for this position. Additional Information: Driver's License: You will be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid U.S. driver's license. Physical Demands: The employee spends a significant amount of time in the field conducting aircraft and ancillary equipment maintenance inspections, performing spot investigations, and may provide technical support in accident/ incident investigations. Inspection work requires considerable standing, bending, stopping, and reaching into confined spaces. The employee must be physically capable of performing all aspects of the duties of the position to include climbing on, in, around and under aircraft and aviation support equipment, often utilizing ladders and work stands, for the purposes of conducting inspections. Working Conditions: Position requires long periods of work confined to a desk with numerous contacts to be made by telephone and email, interpretative review of significant amounts of manually written technical data and constant scheduling and rescheduling of work activities. Position also requires performing field aircraft inspector reviews including actual inspections for intermediate periods of time on aircraft and facilities, sometimes in periods of darkness and/or in inclement weather. May be required to be outside for periods of time in extreme heat, cold, and other weather phenomena. The overall work environment involves occasional periods of stress. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties. Education Additional Information Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period (as applicable) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361. Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process. NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.
