Summary The position is assigned to the Flight Standards Service/General Aviation Safety Assurance Division (AFG) and serves as the POI (Rotorcraft/Helicopter) for Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) for general aviation rotorcraft/helicopter operations. The employee will perform the full range of certification, surveillance, and inspection duties for assigned air carriers, air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees. Responsibilities Some assignments involve wide responsibility for application of expert knowledge of flight operations for technically advanced rotorcraft/helicopters. Such employees are concerned with all aspects of the operational capabilities and limitations of the aircraft. On a continuing basis, assures that assigned organizations are properly and adequately organized, staffed, and equipped; have an adequate training program, including an acceptable record keeping system; and have facilities and procedures that meet all regulatory requirements. Chairs joint FAA-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 of they cannot be resolved. Technical Administration Develops new or innovative standards practices and procedures to address highly technical issues; as well as identifies the need for and recommends changes to national policies and procedures for certification and surveillance compliance. Prepares technical and other pertinent correspondence, responds to congressional inquiries; testifies at court trials and formal hearings resolving highly complex compliance, regulatory matters, and public complaints. Provides advice and recommendations to Flight Standards and aviation safety initiatives to increase safety; provide training to inspectors. The employee works with technically advanced helicopters for large operators or has oversight over large helicopter air ambulance operators. As the principal representative in regulatory surveillance of air carrier activities, exercises certificate authority over rotorcraft air carriers with very extensive and complex operations. Analyzes flight operations involving large fleets of rotorcraft aircraft. Certification Evaluates training programs to ensure they meet the requirements of 14 CFR. Manages reliability team efforts during the development of the standards and procedures pertaining to training programs. Reviews and approves or disapproves carrier's technical procedures/manuals and revisions to such. May require amendments to previously approved documents to accomplish the following: correct any conflict with regulatory requirements; eliminate unsafe practices; and/or improve the specificity of instruction. Evaluates operations and facilities by on-site inspections and review of reports by geographic inspectors or others. Negotiates changes essential or desirable in the policies and procedures. Determines the appropriate methods and/or plans for securing corrective action and determines through on-site inspection or inspector reports the effectiveness of any action. Surveillance Surveils operations in high-risk environments; manages the safety of emergency medical operations to include those with a sophisticated blend of operational demographics and high-risk environments. Responsible for monitoring all phases of operations including: training programs and records; base and station facilities; and route systems. Coordinates with and reviews reports from geographic inspectors and others to identify trends which indicate deterioration in the safety of operations. Directs or suggests changes required to correct such trends. Flight Program Participates in the FAA flight program to maintain qualification and currency requirements applicable to operations inspectors, for the purpose of supporting the FAA in a variety of flight-­related functions to include training and evaluation of designated pilot examiners. Evaluates tasks contained in the FAA practical test standards and airman certification standards by participating as pilot in command or as a crewmember. The inspector is required to maintain an FAA second class medical. Performs other duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment We are not accepting applications from noncitizens. Qualifications You must meet the minimum qualification requirements for an Aviation Safety Inspector in the 1825 series as outlined below: 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. Aviation Safety Inspector positions have job-related medical requirements. When applicable, applicants must meet job-related medical requirements which will be assessed and validated during the pre-employment process. These medical requirements include: Medical Requirements: 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. Tentatively selected applicants not requiring valid second-class medical certificates 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. Basic Requirements: a. Must hold an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating or a Commercial Pilot Certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating and Instrument-Helicopter rating. b. Must hold a valid, unexpired Flight Instructor Certificate with Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating and Instrument Helicopter rating. c. Minimum 1,500 total flight hours in an aircraft as pilot-in-command or second-in-command, 1,000 hours of which must be in helicopters. d. Must have given a minimum of 200 hours of flight instruction in a helicopter. e. Minimum 100 flight hours in helicopters as pilot-in-command or second-in-command or 100 hours as pilot in a Level D Simulator that replicates a helicopter, or any combination thereof, during the last five (5) years. f. Not more than two (2) flying accidents in the last five (5) years in which the applicant's pilot error was involved. Applicants must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-I/FG-13 level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. In addition to meeting the basic and medical requirements, applicants must meet the following specialized experience requirement: Assisting, conducting or performing various technical functions related to certification, surveillance, investigation and compliance recommendation of rotorcraft-helicopter operational activities of air carriers/air operators. For Lateral Movements Between 1825 Specialties: 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://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/3410.26.pdf . Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Recency of specialized experience is waived for current and former FAA employees in the 1825 series. Education Education is not qualifying and may not be substituted for this position. 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. 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. 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 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in alphabetical order and referred to the selecting official for consideration. This is a temporary position NTE two-years; may be terminated sooner, extended, or made permanent without further competition. Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA