Aerospace Engineer (Direct Hire) (Propulsion)

at  US Federal Aviation Administration

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 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.

For more information on the alternate methods, please refer to the OPM Qualification Standards for Engineering at: http://main.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/IORs/gs0800/0800.htm,
Specialized Experience for I-Band: In addition to the basic/alternative qualification requirements identified above, all applicants must demonstrate one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (FV-H or FG/GS-11). Specialized experience is experience which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or directly related to work of the position to be filled.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE includes: Experience applying engineering concepts, principles and practices to the design, modification, and continued airworthiness in one of the following area: aircraft airframe structures, aircraft propulsion systems, aircraft electrical/avionics systems, aircraft mechanical systems, or aircraft cabin safety.
Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history.
Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.
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 KSA 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.

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).

THIS POSITION HAS A POSITIVE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.

Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may result in you not being considered for the job.
Security Requirement: Selection and placement are contingent upon waiver or completion of satisfactory security requirements. Moderate Risk (5). The position requires completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. Subject to a 5-year periodic reinvestigation.
Current or Former Federal employee (including a 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.
This is a bargaining unit position. This position is represented by NATCA: Regional AIR - ACE ANM ANE ASW.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

• Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• How to Apply

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.

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.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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DUTIES

The Aerospace Engineer (Propulsion) position has responsibility for regulatory oversight of aircraft certification programs and continuing operational safety in propulsion systems. Examples include fixed wing and rotorcraft powerplant systems, fuel system operations, engine performance, lubrication and cooling for drive systems and engines, evaluation of engine induction and exhaust systems, crashworthy fuel system design and thermodynamic analysis. Applies safety management principles using experience, advanced engineering knowledge, and risk management techniques; and investigates and identifies safety of flight issues using risk assessment tools, and utilizes policies and procedures to mitigate unsafe conditions through the use of airworthiness directives or other continued operational safety processes. Responsibilities include the review and evaluation of regulatory compliance for aviation product certification projects and initiation of safety determinations for continuing airworthiness. Oversees Designated Engineering Representatives (DERs) for technical and procedural compliance to the regulations. As a member of an Organization Management Team (OMT), provides comprehensive oversight for Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) holders. In cooperation with other pertinent AIR organizations, participates in supervision of Safety Management System (SMS) of design approval holders. The incumbent may also work with applicants for design approvals related to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) parts 23, 25, 27, 29, or 33 and other 14 CFR parts as assigned. Performs other duties as assigned.
Applies concepts applicable to the perspective discipline to accomplish assignments and to develop plans and techniques to improve programs and policies. Understands how his/her technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of the major subdivision and LOB/SO when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems. Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments and plans the implementation of projects/programs under limited direction of a manager, project/program manager, or more experienced engineer. May act as a contributing engineer on large work
activities or as a team leader for single or small work activities. Work is reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion, for technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity.
Defines, plans, and organizes assigned resources to accomplish organizational objectives. Allocates resources to accomplish small work-activities within established schedules. Established policies/procedures provide guidance for most assignments but allow considerable discretion to select the most appropriate approach or to recommend new approaches. Assignments typically require solutions that are to be derived by interpreting and extrapolating from situations that were faced in the past. Provides recommendations to improve work processes. Provides guidance to lower-level staff to solve difficult technical issues. Identifies and informs Management of problems that require their attention. Often develops and recommends techniques to address problem situations.
Contacts are internal and external to the organizational unit. May act as a key technical point of contact for assigned activities. Contributes to the preparation of management/technical reports or contractual documents, and may be called upon to communicate the overall results of a project or work activity to FAA management, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties. Work activities typically support and may be vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more organizational units, subdivisions, and LOB’s/SO’s. The work may affect the safety and security of customers.
Other duties as assigned.