Serves as an Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing) subject matter expert (SME) within Aircraft Certification Service (AIR). The Inspector performs work of a broad scope and complexity in the field of aviation quality assurance, auditing techniques, production, airworthiness certification, and continued operational safety. The work of this position includes applying associated FAA regulations, policies, and following processes to accomplish assignments.
All applicants must meet the following requirements: 1. Not more than 2 separate incidents involving Federal Aviation Regulations violations in the last 5 years. 2. Have a valid state driver's license. 3. Be fluent in the English language. 4. Have no chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and 5. Be a high school graduate or equivalent. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: 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: 1. 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. 2. Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted). 3. 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. Applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing) positions must meet one of the following requirements. 1. Experience in the area of quality systems, methods, and techniques in the manufacture of products and/or articles that demonstrates the ability to determine whether aircraft and related products meet the approved design criteria, or the design criteria on which approval is being sought and is in condition for safe operations; or 2. Experience involving either the actual issuance of airworthiness certificates or having responsibility for managing programs leading to the issuance of original airworthiness certificates or original export airworthiness approvals for products and/or articles; or 3. Experience involving a combination of paragraph A and paragraph B above. Acceptable specialized experience for paragraph A includes actual experience in a majority of the following areas: 1. First article, in process and final assembly inspection. 2. Quality assurance provisions of special processes (e.g. heat treating, brazing, welding, carburizing, plating, CAD-CAM, robotics, software quality control, etc.,) 3. Destructive and non-destructive inspection. 4. Manufacturing processes. 5. Airworthiness assurance. 6. Developing and implementing quality systems and procedures. 7. Testing procedures; and 8. Use of approved design data. The experience in paragraph A or B is typically acquired in such positions as: 1. Quality engineer. 2. Quality systems supervisor/manager. 3. Quality systems auditor. 4. Service representative with technical quality experience. 5. FAA designee such as a designated manufacturing inspection representative (DMIR); or 6. Designated airworthiness representative (DAR) authorized to perform manufacturing inspection functions on behalf of the FAA. Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-I, FG/GS-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 and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: Experience interpreting and applying regulations, policies, and processes pertaining to aviation quality assurance, auditing techniques, production and airworthiness certification, and continued operational safety. Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSAs): 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 section, 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. 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.
Applies experience and comprehensive technical knowledge of quality assurance, auditing techniques, production, airworthiness certification, continued operational safety, and an understanding of new technologies, methods, FAA policies, regulations, processes and programs. As a technical subject matter expert (SME) the Aviation Safety Inspector work tasks include, but are not limited to: Develops, reviews, revises, analyzes, audits, and determines the adequacy of regulations, policies, directives, standards, procedures, and guidance pertaining to the mission. Interprets policy and provides advice and guidance to FAA inspectors, management, and designees; other aviation authorities; manufacturing representatives; other government agencies; and the general public. Leads teams to develop regulations and/or directives having a broad impact on the aviation manufacturing community, civil aviation authorities, and the safety of the flying public. Oversees, reviews work of, and advises others to achieve technical objectives. Using change management methodologies, plans the development, communication, implementation and evaluation of new or revised policies, procedures, and processes. Prepares clear and concise aviation safety documents that instruct or compel others to carry out activities. Prepares evaluation reports and briefing materials containing conclusions and recommendations. Presents briefings, seminars, and/or training to FAA management/staff, union officials, other aviation authorities, and/or aviation industry/associations. Researches, analyzes, and evaluates programs, tasks, and safety issues and seeks a wide range of regulatory and non-regulatory remedies. Uses risk analysis techniques used to analyze and evaluate the safety and reliability of systems or components. Coordinates, updates, and interfaces with senior FAA management, Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) offices, other FAA/government offices and agencies, aviation industry representatives. Defines and requests resources to accomplish assigned tasks in alignment with fiscal planning. Ensures risk management and system thinking philosophies are applied to work priorities and policy/standards development including a clear understanding of FAA's and industry's roles and responsibilities enabling an effective and appropriate level of involvement. Work is reviewed periodically for input to business plan target monthly reports and throughout the accomplishment of major milestones to ensure alignment with the strategic goals of AIR. Contacts are internal and external to the FAA. Often represents FAA as a SME in the field of aviation regulations, polices, and processes pertaining to aviation quality assurance, auditing techniques, production and airworthiness certification, and continued operational safety. Establishes collaborative relationships with internal and external representatives to resolve complex issues and arrive at a common understanding. Provides briefings and updates to all levels of AVS management to obtain consensus/approval on direction. Coordinates significant technical solutions with AVS services/offices, FAA management, and possibly with representatives of civil aviation authorities. Explains, advocates, and negotiates with individuals and groups internally and externally to resolve complex problems and arrive at a common understanding of an issues. Broad policies and mission statements provide general guidance for addressing issues, but allow considerable discretion to develop new and innovative approaches. Draws on experience to solve unusual problems and may create new solutions and policy interpretations as the situation requires. Provides policy guidance and instruction to others, both internally and externally to the FAA. Work activities typically impact directly on strategic goals/initiatives of the AIR, Aviation Safety, and the FAA. Also, work activities impact the safety and security of the public. Performs other duties as assigned.