Position within Summary): the Policy & Standards Division of Aircraft Certification Service (AIR). The Aerospace Engineer will provide expertise on technical, regulatory, and policy matters with specialized experience in the area of Powerplant, Subpart E.
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. Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, all applicants must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (FV-I FG/GS-13) in the Federal government. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. (Applicants must include examples of specialized experience in their work history). Specialized experience must include: - Experience identifying and recommending solutions to address issues with emerging technologies. - Experience with airworthiness and safety assessments of aircraft propulsion systems. Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website: http://jobs.faa.gov/FAACoreCompensation.htm To view the full qualification requirements for this position, go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), General Schedule Qualification Standards, Professional and Scientific Positions: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-Standards Also, to view the full Individual Occupational Requirements for entry into this occupation, visit the following OPM webpage: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf 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 KSAs listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category rating, or priority grouping and referred to the selecting official for consideration.
The Aerospace Engineer applies experience and comprehensive knowledge of aerospace engineering principles, theories, and concepts applicable to design, development, testing, and optimization of propulsion systems for aircraft to ensure safety and assess risks, as well as an understanding of new technologies and methodologies, to solve complex problems and to develop improved technical processes. Assignments frequently require knowledge and experience working across functional and/or organizational lines to assesses the safety of aircraft system designs, and evaluates compliance to applicable regulations, policy, and industry standards. The Aerospace Engineer maintains national standardization of all regulations, policy and activity as it relates to certification, continued airworthiness and safety assessments of aircraft propulsion systems. Provides policy guidance for domestic and international consideration for standardization. Initiates, organizes, and conducts the development of new or modified Federal Aviation Regulations pertaining to aircraft systems. Participates in Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committees to draft new rules, and on ad hoc teams with industry, other aviation authorities, and agencies to develop regulations, policies and standards. May participates in the analysis of accident, malfunction, and service difficulty reports involving aircraft propulsion systems. Conducts educational outreach, ensuring an understanding of air traffic operations, aviation safety, and regulatory guidelines, providing policy guidance, and instruction to others, both internally and externally. Coordinates with the Policy & Standards Division branches and aircraft certification offices to enable the safe certification of aircraft products that employ existing or new and emerging technologies. Recommends, develops, and processes rules, special conditions, exemptions, advisory circulars, and national directives pertaining to specialty area. Collaborates with aircraft design teams to ensure propulsion systems align with structural and operational requirements. Plans and accomplishes highly complex and challenging projects and other work activities under the minimal direction of a manager. Works closely with Policy & Standards Division management, internal Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stakeholders and external stakeholders (i.e., industry, other aviation authorities, etc.) to address issues with emerging technologies. Identifies and participates in research and development studies to identify the need for new safety standards, or to implement new technologies to improve continued operational safety (COS). Develops mutually rewarding relationships with fellow employees, and other stakeholders. Contacts are internal and external. Often represents the FAA as a senior technical point of contact on projects, programs and other work activities. Communicates results to all levels internally (within an LOB/SO or across LOB/SOs) and externally. Plays a lead role in drafting, reviewing, and editing reports or other documents for final approval prior to external distribution. Presents briefings to obtain consensus/approval on regulations and policies. Coordinates significant technical matters with representatives of external organizations. Broad policies and objectives provide general guidance for addressing project/program 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 guidance to lower-level staff to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced engineer. Develops plans, techniques, and policies to address current or anticipated problems and issues. Works with senior management to solve problems. Performs other related duties as assigned.