Federal
Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness), Air Carrier Avionics
Federal Aviation Administration · Department of Transportation
About This Position
The International Principal Aviation Safety Inspector (Air Carrier Avionics) functions as the primary interface between assigned foreign operators, agencies, organizations, airmen, designees, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Incumbent has program responsibility to assure that assigned entities meet federal aviation regulations at 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and related direction with respect to operations programs.
Qualifications
OPM Qualification Standard for the Aviation Safety Inspector Air Carrier Avionics specialty (from the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions) is located at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1800/aviation-safety-series-1825/ General Requirements for All Positions: Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years; Valid State driver's license; Fluency in the English language; No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and High school diploma or equivalent. Medical Requirements for All Positions: 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. Have good distant vision in each eye and be able to read, without strain, printed materials the size of typewritten characters (glasses and contact lenses permitted); Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); and Not have any physical condition that would cause them to be a hazard to themselves or others that would interfere with their ability to fly as passengers in a variety of aircraft. In addition, applicants for positions that require participation in the operation of the aircraft must: Possess a valid second–class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations; and Pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA. Applicants not requiring valid second-class medical certificates who are tentatively selected will be required to: Provide documentation from a board-certified physician certifying that they meet the minimal medical requirements; or Individuals who do not meet the minimum medical requirements but who are otherwise qualified will receive an individualized assessment to determine whether they can perform the essential functions of the position. Specialized Experience: When the predominant work involves air carrier avionics, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) positions must meet all of the following requirements. 1. Aircraft avionics experience involving the maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting of installed avionics systems on aircraft. 2. Avionics maintenance experience on aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight. 3. Aircraft avionics work experience (which could include supervision or auditing) in a repair station; air carrier repair facility; military repair facility; or local, state, or Federal governmental agency within the last 3 years. To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to 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. Specialized experience is: Assisting, conducting or performing various technical functions related to certification, surveillance, investigation or compliance recommendation of avionics systems activities on FAR Part 145 repair stations. Certificate and Ratings: This position requires a certificate and ratings for minimum qualification in the following specialty: Air Carrier Avionics; a copy of the certificate and ratings are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 1825 specialty of Air Carrier Avionics. Certificate and ratings are not required from applicants who are currently occupying (or previously held) Air Carrier Avionics 1825 series position. Recency of specialized experience is waived for current and former FAA employees in the 1825 series. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job Security Requirements: Non-critical sensitive (2): This position requires completion & favorable adjudication of a Tier 3 (T3) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained and approved.
Major Duties
The International Principal Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) receives administrative direction from management in terms of broadly defined missions or functions. The ASI independently plans, designs, and carries out programs, projects, studies, or other work. The ASI provides policy assistance to ASIs on difficult or complex policy interpretations. The work is normally accepted without change. Completed work may be reviewed for adherence to FAA policy and for assurance that project requirements have been fulfilled. Applies expert knowledge of flight operations for an advanced multiengine turbojet aircraft. Such employees are concerned with all aspects of the operational capabilities and limitations of the aircraft. Assignments at this level are of great scope and unusual complexity and the organizations monitored are major factors in the industry. As the principal representative in regulatory oversight of foreign air carrier activities, exercises authority over foreign air operators, maintenance organizations, maintenance airmen and designated entities with very extensive and complex operations. Analyzes maintenance operations involving large fleets of turbojet aircraft engaged in large-scale passenger and freight service, evaluates maintenance activities and complete aircraft overhaul facilities which are equipped and staffed to handle the latest and most sophisticated turbojet aircraft and associated systems, and approves maintenance programs for FAA registered aircraft operate by a foreign operator. This level includes the responsibility for nationally and internationally prominent carriers who operator the largest, most advanced fleets of turbojet aircraft in the industry. Exercises regulatory authority and safety responsibility over a complex of broad and varied air carrier and general aviation organizations such as operator maintenance facilities and contracted repair stations when the activities monitored equate collectively to a major air carrier in terms of size and complexity of aircraft fleet employed, scope and technical complexity of operations, management sophistication, industry leadership, and public impact. The ASI is expected to follow established laws, orders, policies, and regulations that provide general guidance for completing work objectives, but is allowed considerable discretion to develop new or innovative approaches. The ASI uses resourcefulness, initiative, and judgement based on experience to develop and implement evaluation procedures to address problems where precedents are not applicable. Methods, practices, or decisions may be used as guidance in similar problem areas. The ASI keeps management informed of the status of all programs and projects and is held accountable for the technical accuracy, proper coordination, and timeliness of completed staff work. Provides staff assistance and serves as advisor to the manager on all matters pertaining to assigned tasking. Assists ASI's, AST's, and others with Safety Assurance queries that are technical or guidance. Assists in the preparation of a variety of highly technical and high priority correspondence to the foreign aviation industry, foreign civil aviation authorities, other U.S. governmental agencies, members of Congress, and the general public. Assures that correspondence is properly coordinated, technically and grammatically accurate, clear and concise, and that it reflects the philosophy, policies, and objectives of the Office, Division, Service, and the FAA. Performs other duties as required.
Conditions of Employment
We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.
Education
Education may not be substituted for experience.
How You Will Be Evaluated
IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.
Additional Information
We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions. Position may be subject to a background investigation. A one-year probationary period may be required. The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing. 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 may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) 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. Current FAA employee: You MUST submit a copy of your most recent (non-award) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, or equivalent document that verifies tenure (block 24, code 1 or 2). Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in non-consideration for this position. Interviews: If one applicant is interviewed, all applicants must be interviewed. Locality Percentages and Salary Rates: Fresno, CA - 17.65% - $126,410 - $164,338 Sacramento, CA - 29.76% - $139,422 - $181,254 San Diego, CA - 33.72% - $143,677 - $186,785 Alameda, El Segundo, and Van Nuys, CA – 36.47% - $146,633 - $190,627 San Jose, CA - 46.34% - $157,236 - $197,200 Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA
How to Apply
Applicants may be required to complete one or multiple assessments as part of the evaluation process. This assessment aims to evaluate the competencies and qualifications essential for the position. You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register. RESUMES ARE LIMITED TO TWO PAGES. IN DESCRIBING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC AND INCLUDE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS POSITION. We strongly encourage applicants to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder in the creation of resumes. Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Relevant work experience: should align to the Job Announcement and address all required qualifications and include job title, employer name, start/end dates, number of hours worked per week. Education, certification or licensure: If required, education should include school/institution name, completion date, degree type and GPA. Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide ALL of this information may result in a finding of ineligible. You may upload completed documents to your USAJOBS Account. This will provide you the opportunity to utilize the uploaded information again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide, Document Upload Guide, for more information on uploading and re-using the documents in your applications.
Required Documents
Certificates and ratings do not need to be submitted from applicants who are currently occupying Air Carrier Avionics 1825 series position. If you are an FAA employee, you MUST provide a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) containing information in Blocks 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 24 so it can be used to verify your position title, series, grade, tenure, and organization of record by the closing date of the announcement. You may fax your SF-50 or upload it into the on-line application. If faxing the SF-50, please ensure you include the vacancy announcement number on the faxed copy. If you are an FAA employee, you can access and print your SF-50 from the eOPF system https://eopf.opm.gov/dot/.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness), Air Carrier Avionics position at Federal Aviation Administration?
The salary range for this position is $107,446 - $139,684/yr. This is a FG-14 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness), Air Carrier Avionics job located?
This position is located in Alameda, California. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
OPM Qualification Standard for the Aviation Safety Inspector Air Carrier Avionics specialty (from the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions) is located at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1800/aviation-safety-series-1825/ General...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Feb 12, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Secret clearance is required.
What does FG-14 mean?
FG-14 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.