Aviation Safety Compliance Specialist (Fixed-Wing Operations)

Aviation Safety Compliance Specialist (Fixed-Wing Operations)

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Phoenix, Arizona, Sacramento, California, Denver, Colorado, Boise, Idaho, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Portland, Oregon

Salary Range: $109774 - $182034 Per Year

Job Summary: The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders.

Major Duties:

• This position is located within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of the Secretary (OS), Office of Aviation Services (OAS), Western Region Office (WRO), to be filled in either Albuquerque, NM, Boise, ID, Denver, CO, Phoenix, AZ, Portland, OR, or Sacramento, CA. The employee will serve as Pilot in Command (PIC) on DOI fixed-wing aircraft, perform flight evaluations and surveillance of contracted fixed-wing pilots, and flight evaluations and training of DOI pilots. Through inspection and surveillance of ongoing aircraft operations, as well as contacts with user bureaus and the aircraft industry in general, the employee will provide safety oversight of pilots, aircraft, and equipment used in a wide range of resource missions, with authority to issue/withdraw authorization cards for mission specific applications, and provide technical support and advisory services for direct mission support activities. At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Conducts inspections and surveillance of diverse types of contracted and DOI fleet fixed-wing pilots to ensure safety compliance with contract requirements, DOI policy, OAS policy, Federal Aviation Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and other Federal regulations, as appropriate. 2. Conducts flight evaluations and training for DOI fleet pilots in a variety of conventional and special use flight skills to ensure standardized performance in critical bureau aviation missions. 3. Conducts initial general inspections of a contractor's maintenance and operations facilities to ensure appropriate levels of safety are being maintained. 4. Evaluates the capabilities of contracted pilots to perform point-to-point, reconnaissance, low-level, mountain flying, and wildland fire related special-use missions, and issues initial qualification cards for mission-specific applications, many of which require advanced pilot skills and precision maneuvers. 5. Periodically reevaluates pilot's qualifications for performance in various special-use missions through flight evaluations, with authority to issue or terminate the qualification cards. 6. Provides follow-up flight evaluations of pilots as required. 7. Conducts periodic scheduled and unscheduled inspections to determine the contractor's continued compliance with the requirements contracts. 8. Prepares a written report of findings and recommendations. 9. Provides OAS management and bureau partners with advice and technical guidance in the consideration and resolution of aviation issues relating to flight operations, management, contracts, and/or maintenance for DOI fleet and contract vendor pilots and aircraft. The OS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. This position is included in a bargaining unit. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Local 2052, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit. *Salary Range Information (Special Rate Tables): Albuquerque, NM GS-12: $110,871 - $144,136 per annum. GS-13: $131,841 - $171,396 per annum. Boise, ID GS-12: $109,774 - $142,712 per annum. GS-13: $130,536 - $169,699 per annum. Denver, CO & Sacramento, CA GS-12: $117,753 - $153,082 per annum. GS-13: $ 140,025 - $182,034 per annum. Phoenix, AZ GS-12: $113,930 - $148,112 per annum. GS-13: $135,478 - $176,124 per annum. Portland, OR GS-12: $116,224 - $151,094 per annum. GS-13: $138,206 - $179,670 per annum. *First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level. Additional Information: Travel - 25% or less, on average annually -- The travel requirement is generally higher from January through June and may require 10 or more nights per month. Travel is significantly less July through December. Primary area of responsibility for the OAS Western Region includes Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and New Mexico. Occasional travel to other OAS regions may be required. Position is subject to medical requirements and incumbent must maintain medical requirements. This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing and is subject to future drug testing This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available. This vacancy is also announced as OS-6054-25-ETA- 113(DEU) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Competitive Examining procedures.

Qualifications: Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the (A) Requirements and (B) Specialized Experience for the grade to which you are applying. A. Requirements: 1. No more than 1 flying accident in the last 5 years in which the applicant's error was involved. 2. Minimum of 1500 hours pilot-in-command (PIC) time in airplanes. 3. Minimum of 1000 hours PIC time in airplanes 12,500 lbs. or less. 4. Minimum of 100 flight hours within the last 3 years. 5. Valid, unexpired Commercial Pilot Certificate with single and multi-engine fixed-wing ratings, and instrument rating. 6. *Valid, unexpired Flight Instructor Certificate with fixed-wing ratings. *Applicants who possess an alternate Flight Instructor Certificate rating, i.e., a Flight Instructor Certificate with Rotorcraft Helicopter, may be considered; however, appropriate fixed-wing ratings must be obtained within 90 days of employment. Failure to obtain the required certification may result in termination. 7. Possession of a valid second-class FAA medical certificate. 8. A valid state driver's license is required to drive to various field locations as required. B. Specialized Experience: GS-12 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Serving as a commercial pilot of light single and/or multi-engine airplanes in a CFR 14 Part 91, 135, or 121 operation. MUST MEET ALL GS-13 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Serving as a commercial pilot of light single and/or multi-engine airplanes in a CFR 14 Part 91, 135, or 121 operation; and Documented experience as an OAS or USFS approved (carded) PIC on Leadplane, Air Tactical, SEAT, Smokejumper, Large Airtanker, or other natural resource missions such as wildlife management, forestry management, reconnaissance, census, fire imaging, etc. - OR - Documented experience as a qualified pilot inspector for a state or federal government agency responsible for approving or disapproving pilots operating FAA certificated small (12,500 lbs. or below) aircraft performing any natural resource, air tactical, fire reconnaissance, or fire suppression missions. MUST MEET ALL Note: You are required to provide documentation in your resume that you meet all of the requirements outlined above and experience claimed in your application. Failure to provide support in your resume that you meet the requirements outlined above and claimed experience may result in disqualification from consideration for this position. Physical Requirements: The work requires moderate physical activity of short duration such as associated with flying in adverse weather conditions and when evaluating advance pilot skills in special use low-level flight missions. Work Environment: The work is performed in an office setting, aircraft hangars, aircraft cockpits, and outdoors. When pilot flight evaluations are performed, and actual emergency conditions are simulated, the employee may be subjected to considerable stress. Outdoor work may include extreme heat or cold weather conditions. Driver's License: A valid state driver's license is required to drive to various field locations as required. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

How to Apply: Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply Online button near the bottom of this screen and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply Online to continue. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-20