Summary Serves as an Aerospace Engineer with responsibility for regulatory oversight of aircraft certification programs and continued airworthiness in the discipline of aircraft Mechanical Systems/Flight Controls. Incumbent is responsible for applying safety management principles using engineering knowledge and risk management techniques. Responsibilities Responsibilities include evaluation of regulatory compliance for aircraft certification projects; oversight of organizational and individual delegation; identification of potential safety issues; initiation of safety investigations, and determination of aircraft level risk(s) and mitigation of risks related to continued operational safety of the affected fleet of aircraft. Applies experience and advanced knowledge of engineering principles, theories, and concepts applicable to his/her discipline to accomplish assignments and to develop plans and techniques to improve programs and policies. The incumbent learns and applies risk management in planning and decision making regarding the appropriate level of FAA involvement in: oversight of organizational delegations and/or individual designees who are authorized to make findings on behalf of the FAA; certification projects, continued operational safety decisions, review of findings made by Foreign Civil Aviation Authorities. Each of these areas depend up a clear understanding of FAA and industry roles and responsibilities to enable effective and appropriate FAA involvement in consideration of shared safety responsibilities. Additionally, incumbent learns and applies systems thinking to the above responsibilities. Contributes to the preparation of written technical and information documents/reports that compel others to take a particular course of action, instruct others in carrying out activities, or to explain the purpose, goals, and objectives of a policy or regulation. Incumbent explains information with individuals and groups internally and externally, and may be a key point of contact to provide overall project results. Provides guidance to lower-level staff to solve difficult technical issues achieve an understanding of issues. Collaborates with management or more experienced engineer to resolve unique problems. Established policies/procedures provide guidance for more assignments, but allow considerable discretion for incumbent to select the most appropriate approach or to recommend new approaches. Assignments typically require solutions that are to be derived by interpreting and extrapolating from situations that were faced in the past. Provides recommendation to improve work processes. Work is reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion for technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity. Work activities support and may be vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more organizational units, subdivisions, and LOB's/SO's. Work may affect the safety and security of customers. Requirements Conditions of Employment We are not accepting applications from noncitizens. Qualifications Basic Requirements: Successful completion of a full four-year professional engineering curriculum leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in engineering in an accredited college or university. To be acceptable the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b)strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics; OR, ALTERNATIVE REQUIREMENTS: Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: Professional registration: Current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico; Written Test: Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico; Specified academic courses: Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A; Related curriculum: - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. For more information on the alternate methods, please refer to the OPM Qualification Standards for Engineering at: http://main.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/IORs/gs0800/0800.htm, Specialized Experience for I-Band: In addition to the basic/alternative qualification requirements identified above, all applicants must demonstrate one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (FV-H or FG/GS-11). Specialized experience is experience which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or directly related to work of the position to be filled. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE includes: Experience in the Mechanical Systems discipline conducting type certification projects and continued airworthiness activities of aircraft and aviation products. Certification projects to include type certification (TC), amended type certification (ATC), supplemental type certification (STC), technical standard orders (TSO), and parts manufacturer approvals (PMA), including familiarity with FAA policy and guidance including Orders and Advisory Circulars (ACs) Experience in FAA certification (14 CFR part 21, 23/25/27/29, 39, and 183), conducting safety evaluations of aircraft, flight controls, environmental systems, pressurization, landing gear, wheels/tires/brakes and other mechanical systems, parts, and appliances. Experience in system safety analysis of aircraft and systems, icing, and equipment qualification, including knowledge of the delegation process such as designated engineering representatives (DERs) and Organization Designation Authorizations preferred. Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job. 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 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. Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the 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. Education This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page). Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration. Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation. Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered. 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 U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation. As such, DOT values a highly diverse workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome. If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family. Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. On-the-Spot will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill future vacancies in any of the other AIR Division offices in the advertised Duty Locations. Applicants must apply on-line to receive consideration for this vacancy announcement. Faxed, mailed or emailed applications cannot be accepted. This position has a positive education requirement. Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may result in you not being considered for the job. Please upload supporting documents into USAJOBS or 9-ANM-AHR-empsvc@faa.gov and reference the announcement number. Security Requirement: Selection and placement are contingent upon waiver or completion of satisfactory security requirements. Moderate Risk (5). The position requires completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. Subject to a 5-year periodic reinvestigation. Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA