Federal

DIRECT HIRE - Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing)

Federal Aviation Administration ยท Department of Transportation
๐Ÿ“ Des Moines, Washington FV-H $84,610 - $131,153/yr
Posted: May 21, 2026 Deadline: Jun 10, 2026 (Closes in 20 days)

About This Position

Join the Federal Aviation Administration as an Aviation Safety Inspector - Manufacturing. The FAA work environment is rich in opportunity, diversity, teamwork and worklife balance. Enjoy benefits such as weekends off, paid holidays, steady work hours, sick/annual leave, health insurance and more! Begin a rewarding career with the FAA and be part of a select group of individual whose mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.

Qualifications

All applicants must meet the following requirements: Not more than 2 separate incidents involving Federal Aviation Regulations violations in the last 5 years; Have a valid state driver's license; Be fluent in the English language; Have no chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and 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: 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; Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); 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: A.

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 Acceptable specialized experience for paragraph A includes actual experience in a majority of the following areas that is clearly reflected in your resume: First article, in process and final assembly inspection; Quality assurance provisions of special processes (e.g. heat treating, brazing, welding, carburizing, plating, CAD-CAM, robotics, software quality control, etc.,) Destructive and non-destructive inspection; Manufacturing processes; Airworthiness assurance; Developing and implementing quality systems and procedures; Testing procedures; and Use of improved design data. B. 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 C.

Experience involving a combination of paragraph A and paragraph B. The experience in paragraph A or B is typically acquired in such positions as: Quality engineer; Quality systems supervisor/manager; Quality systems auditor; Service representative with technical quality experience; FAA designee such as a designated manufacturing inspection representative (DMIR); or Designated airworthiness representative (DAR) authorized to perform manufacturing inspection functions on behalf of the FAA. To qualify for this position at the FV-H level -All candidates must demonstrate one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Specialized experience is defined as knowledge and experience of aerospace quality assurance systems in a position of leadership, or having the ability to make decisions independently, as it relates to an aerospace manufacturing environment in the areas of assembly, test and final inspection, and airworthiness determination as evidenced by practical experience working in this environment - such as work as a Supervisory Quality Inspector, Organization Designation Authorization Unit Member, or Manager of an aircraft or aerospace article manufacturing facility. THE FULL PERFORMANCE POTENTIAL TO THE FV-I GRADE LEVEL: Identification of promotion in the vacancy announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon the selectee meeting all training, qualification requirements, and recommendation by the supervisor.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Major Duties

This position will be located at the Renton Boeing plant. The Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) has certificate management responsibility for one or more aerospace organizations. The inspector is involved in the planning and implementation of a full range of manufacturing inspection, type, production, and airworthiness certification programs at one or more aerospace organizations within a Certificate Management Sections (CM), geographic area of responsibility.

Duties at the FV-H grade level include but are not limited to the following: Verifies assigned aerospace organizations comply with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14CFR) with respect to production, original airworthiness, and certification programs. Determines certificate management actions for audits of assigned aerospace organizations within personnel and budget limitations. Establishes certificate management actions in terms of kind and areas of audit, location, and frequency that will be most productive to assure adherence to the aerospace organization's quality system and conducts audits in accordance with FAA Orders 8120.22 Production Approval Procedures, 8120.23 Certificate Management of Production Approval Holders, and other established policies.

Serves as manufacturing expert in the investigation of violations, accidents, incidents, and malfunctions/defects that may be attributable to items manufactured in assigned organizations.

Conditions of Employment

We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.

Education

No education substitution for qualifications for this position. Must be high school graduate or equivalent.

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 Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. On-the-Spot will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Incomplete Applications: Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Requirement for Security Clearance: Selection and placement are contingent upon waiver or completion of satisfactory security requirements.

For Moderate Risk (Level 5), this position requires completion and favorable adjudication of a National Agency Check with Inquiry (NACI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. These positions are represented by Bargaining Unit: 8163- Aircraft Certification 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. 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. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the DIRECT HIRE - Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing) position at Federal Aviation Administration?
The salary range for this position is $84,610 - $131,153/yr. This is a FV-H position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the DIRECT HIRE - Aviation Safety Inspector (Manufacturing) job located?
This position is located in Des Moines, Washington. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
No education substitution for qualifications for this position. Must be high school graduate or equivalent.
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 Jun 10, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
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.