This position serves as an Aerospace Engineer (Airframe) in Aircraft Certification Service (AIR).
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 J-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-I or FG/GS-13). 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 for this position is: Experience in certification or conducting safety evaluations of aircraft structure. 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.
The Aerospace Engineer (Airframe) position analyzes and applies regulations and policies to overseeing the certification and continued operational safety of aeronautical products, or systems, or components; and is responsible for organizing, planning, conducting and successfully completing type certification/type validation projects, oversight of compliance and safety systems, and for supporting continued operational safety activities of aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, or appliances in accordance with Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), hereafter called aviation products. May act as the principal engineer or as a project/program manager or team lead for large work activities. The incumbent plans and accomplishes highly complex and challenging projects/programs under the minimal direction of a manager. The incumbent applies experience and comprehensive knowledge of engineering principles, theories, and concepts applicable to aerospace engineering as well as an understanding of new technologies and methodologies to solve complex problems and develop improved processes for the organization. Also applies experience and knowledge of risk analysis techniques to analyze and evaluate the safety and reliability of aeronautical products, or systems, or components. Assures compliance of aircraft and products with the appropriate requirements of 14 CFR and with foreign certification authority regulations governed by bilateral agreements. Defines and organizes resources to accomplish organizational project/program objectives. Uses allocated resources to accomplish large work activities within established schedules. Prepares reports and provides required briefings and/or technical presentations within the FAA and to manufacturers, professional organizations and to foreign certification authorities. Represents the division or certification/type validation branch, as applicable, as a FAA technical team representative in the development and standardization of rules and guidance related to their area of technical discipline expertise. Provides guidance to lower-level staff and works with other engineers to collaborate engineering solutions to resolve complex issues which involves input from different FAA offices and other organizations to achieve successful results in type certification, type validation, systems oversight, and continued operational safety programs. The incumbent’s expertise is relied on within the industry, the appropriate Division and the FAA to provide oversight to ensure airworthiness of certificated aviation products. The incumbent is a mentor, coach, and role model to less knowledgeable or less experienced engineers and distributes tasking in accordance with management-defined criteria. Performs other related duties as assigned.