The Senior Aerospace Engineer (Flight Test) position is located within the Compliance & Airworthiness Division, AIR-700.
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 includes: Flight test experience in aircraft and/or rotorcraft performance testing, or avionics systems testing, or human factors evaluations to determine compliance with civil, or military, or foreign airworthiness standards. Experience evaluating and mitigating flight test risk. 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.
Applies regulations and policy in managing the certification and continued operational safety of aeronautical products and is responsible for organizing, planning, conducting and successfully completing type certification/type validation projects; and oversight of compliance and safety systems; 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. The incumbent provides input and support to the section manager to improve the efficiency and efficacy of the section including assignment of work, job performance, leadership of section engineers. 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. The incumbent supports the Section Manager in the alignment of section resources, activities, and stakeholders with AIR objectives; develops section personnel and resources consistent with AIR’s future needs. The incumbent assures compliance of aircraft and products with the appropriate requirements of 14 CFR and with foreign certification authority regulations governed by bilateral agreements. Provides required briefings and/or technical presentations within the FAA and to manufacturers, professional organizations and to foreign certification authorities. Provides input into monitoring and evaluating performance. Works to prepare employees for future opportunities across the division, with focus on continuity of operations and long-term organizational success. Coaches, mentors, and develops employees to perform current work and support career progression for the future. Ensures employees have technical skills to accomplish their assigned tasks. Monitors organizational health and regularly provides employee feedback to the section manager. Communicates and regularly reinforces connectivity between section employee activities and the broader AIR mission. Works with employees to identify resource needs and advocates for resources on behalf of the team. Partners with other AIR organizations to accomplish work. Represents FAA at aviation events, industry conferences, and other civil aviation authority meetings on topics pertinent to the Section. Mediates the resolution of controversial technical disputes involving complex engineering issues. Represents the division or certification/type validation branch, as applicable, as an FAA technical team representative in the development and standardization of rules and guidance related to their area of technical discipline expertise. Engages employees in documenting, refining, and assuring compliance with processes governing all activities. Assesses the productivity, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of organizational processes. Oversees daily operations to ensure timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, and compliance with policy in attaining organizational goals. Facilitates coordination and effective communication across FAA organizations, the aviation industry, and other civil aviation authorities to accomplish work. Provides input to the section manager regarding the oversight of technical and administrative support programs of the office. Responsible for supporting the section manger regarding the overall management responsibilities associated with the planning and direction of programs. Manages data systems, administrative processes, and data entry necessary to support office and branch performance metrics and dashboards that can be effectively used by the management team to manage branch and office performance. Performs other related duties as assigned.