Summary The Assistant Principal Avionics Inspector (APAI) serves as a full assistant to a Principal Inspector (Avionics) performing the full range of certification, surveillance, and inspection duties for assigned air carriers, air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees. The inspector has program responsibility to assure that assigned organizations meet Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) with respect to maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alteration programs. Responsibilities Under the general direction of the Principal Inspector (Avionics) or Supervisory Principal Inspector (Avionics) accomplishes the following duties: A. Technical Administration On a continuing basis, ensures assigned organizations are properly and adequately organized, staffed and equipped; establishes and conducts adequate training programs; maintains record keeping systems; and facilities and ensures procedures meet all regulatory requirements. Chairs joint Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry meetings. Maintains regular contact with organizations assigned and coordinates with top management officials. Requires or directs correction of any deficiencies/discrepancies and refuses or withdraws approval if they cannot be resolved. Develops avionics program requirements through participation on maintenance review boards. Coordinates minimum equipment list (MEL) approvals with the principal operations inspector. Takes enforcement action in instances of noncompliance with the MEL. Conducts enforcement investigations and prepares final reports and recommendations on disposition. Performs or supervises the emergency suspension of certificates or cancellation of operations specifications. Conducts or directs the reexamination of certificated airmen or recertification of an operator or agency. Conducts investigations of public complaints, congressional inquiries, and aircraft incidents and accidents. Provides verbal and/or written technical assistance to legal counsel, testifies at court trials and formal hearings, and gives dispositions. Coordinates with geographic inspectors for the accomplishment of non-routine air carrier surveillance. B. Certification Responsible for initial and ongoing certification of air carriers, aircraft, airmen, and air agencies. Makes recommendations on the appointment of designees. Evaluates requests to operate under conditions not previously specified in the airworthiness portion of the operations specifications and approves/disapproves requests providing additional conditions and limitations as needed. Provides guidance to the assigned air carrier in the development of required maintenance manuals and record keeping systems. Reviews and determines adequacy of manuals associated with the air carrier's airworthiness programs and revisions. Ensures manuals and revisions comply with regulatory requirements, prescribe safe practices, and furnish clear and specific instructions governing airworthiness programs. Approves operations specifications and amendments. Determines if the maintenance facilities being established or contract arrangements entered into by air carrier for the purpose of overhaul work, major repairs, alterations, and other maintenance are satisfactory. Reviews changes and negotiates with air carrier management to resolve problems. Determines if overhaul and inspection time limitations warrant revision. Evaluates an operator's proposed reliability programs for compliance with national policies. Advises operator of deficiencies and required changes. Approves/disapproves reliability programs. Determines if the air carrier's training program meets the requirements of 14 CFR, is compatible with the airworthiness program, is properly organized and effectively conducted, and results in trained and competent personnel. Directs or participates in flight evaluations to determine compliance with 14 CFR. Recommends changes that will be required prior to approval. C. Surveillance Directs the inspection and surveillance of the air carrier's continuous airworthiness program. Monitors all phases of the air carrier's airworthiness operation, including the maintenance, engineering, quality control, production control, training, and reliability programs. Analyzes trends to detect deterioration in the airworthiness program. Monitors the activities of air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees. Performs other duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment We are not accepting applications from noncitizens. Qualifications Applicants must meet the Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards: 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. 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: 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); Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); and 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. In addition, applicants for positions that require participation in the operation of the aircraft must: Possess a valid second ¿ class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations; and Pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA. Applicants not requiring valid second-class medical certificates who are tentatively selected will be required to: Provide documentation from a board-certified physician certifying that they meet the minimal medical requirements; or Individuals who do not meet the minimum medical requirements but who are otherwise qualified will receive an individualized assessment to determine whether they can perform the essential functions of the position. When the predominant work involves air carrier avionics, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) positions must meet all of the following requirements. Aircraft avionics experience involving the maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting of installed avionics systems on aircraft. Avionics maintenance experience on aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight. 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. To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of experience equivalent to FV-H, FG/GS-12 grade level. 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 includes: investigating and reporting on accidents, incidents and violations. To assist in determining qualification requirements, applicants transferring between specialties at the same grade level are strongly encouraged to complete the appropriate Qualifications Assessment Tool (QAT) check sheet and upload it along with their resume. 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://employees.faa.gov/org/linebusiness/avs/offices/afs/tools/qat/. Note: Recency of specialized experience and the need for a valid second-class FAA medical certificate is waived for employees currently in the 1825 series. Education 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 Duty Location: Selectee will be required to report to an FAA Flight Standards Facility Duty Location, where selection is made. Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy. 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 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 choose 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. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resources 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. Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA
