About This Position
Incumbent serves as Lead Engineer (LE).
Qualifications
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 an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.) Specialized experience includes: - Experience in the planning, coordinating, identifying resources, scheduling, and tracking of multi-site engineering projects through completion You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered. Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification. Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
Major Duties
The Lead Engineer (LE) is responsible for the implementation of highly complex and challenging projects comprised of multiple sub-projects and/or large national programs which require application of in-depth engineering knowledge and independent judgement and the ability to coordinate difficult and/or critical activities. Applies experience and comprehensive knowledge of engineering principles, theories, and concepts applicable to his/her discipline, as well as an understanding of new technologies and methodologies, to solve complex problems and to develop improved technical processes for the organization. Assignments typically involve engineer to have knowledge of NAS Facilities, Facilities and Equipment Programs, and FAA organizations. Represents assigned Center on matter requiring technical interpretation and guidance, as the senior technical point of contact. Serves as the senior engineering for assigned projects/programs to all stakeholders including management, other employees and external parties. Plans, coordinates and reviews engineering work of the installation activities. Prioritizes and outlines work. Provides advice to solve technical problems. Reviews work of other engineers for technical accuracy and adequacy. Assists Center personnel with resolving all, but unique, engineering problems and may create new solutions and policy interpretations, as the situation requires. Provides constructive feedback and persuasion on project/program matters using effective interpersonal skills and abilities. He/she organizes, coordinates and mentors the efforts of project engineers supporting the program. Leads the development of standardized implementation plans, processes templates, and activities within assigned Engineering Center and/or program area. Works as a team with other Leads to deliver a consistent and efficient implementation produce across each Service Area. Serves as the focal for gathering and integrating feedback downstream sites and coordinating feedback with other Leads in the Service Area. Maintains consistency with applicable standards, procedures, and implementation methodologies. Ensures project/program schedules are compatible with organizational objectives, support project/program needs; and can be accomplished within available resources and funding. Oversees and monitors project interdependencies by assessing the impacts to project/programs due to new requirements, technologies, budget constraints, or changes. Plans, coordinates, identifies resources, schedules, and tracks large-scale and/or multi-site engineering projects through completion. Prepares cost estimates and risk management reports for work at the assigned area of responsibility. The work is reviewed rarely, typically though status reports and at project completion, to ensure technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity
Conditions of Employment
We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.
Education
This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page). Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration. Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation. Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.
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 Current FAA employee: You MUST submit a copy of your most recent (non-award) SF-50 including 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. Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in non-consideration for this position. Security Requirement: Moderate Risk (5): This position requires completion & favorable adjudication of a Moderate Risk Background Investigation (Tier 2) background investigation prior to appointment, unless waiver is obtained As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant, 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 section, 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. 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. 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
If you are not a current FAA employee in an Engineering Series position you MUST submit your college/univ. transcript by the closing date. Applicants must apply on-line. Faxed, mailed or e-mailed applications cannot be accepted. Additional documents to supplement your application (i.e., transcripts, SF-50, or veteran's documents) may be uploaded in USAJOBS or faxed to (206) 231-4150 on or before the closing date of this announcement. Include your name & the announcement number on each of your faxed pages. For guidance on how to create a federal resume, visit http://www.archives.gov/careers/jobs/forms/resume-guide.pdf Failure to submit all required documents by the closing date will result in a finding of ineligible. We are not responsible for incomplete, illegible or missing documents. Please DO NOT email your application documents. Hard copy applications will not be accepted. This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 0800 (Engineering) series. College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 0800 (Engineering) series with the FAA. College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying an 0800 (Engineering) series. If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment. 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 Lead General Engineer position at Federal Aviation Administration?
The salary range for this position is $125,635 - $194,772/yr. This is a FV-J position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Lead General Engineer job located?
This position is located in Auburn, Washington. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
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...
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 25, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What does FV-J mean?
FV-J 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.