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Posted: March 3, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) (Fire Support)

Forest Service

Department of Agriculture

Fresh

Salary

$106,437 - $138,370

per year

Closes

March 13, 2026

GS-13 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $88,520 - $115,079

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-12. Expert-level knowledge in field.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves serving as an expert on aircraft safety and maintenance for the U.S.

Forest Service's fire and aviation programs, ensuring that government-owned planes meet strict safety standards to support wildfire response efforts.

The role focuses on inspecting, certifying, and overseeing repairs for various aircraft used in these operations.

It's a great fit for experienced aircraft mechanics with FAA certifications who enjoy technical problem-solving in a government setting, particularly those passionate about aviation in public service like firefighting support.

Key Requirements

  • FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) ratings
  • FAA Inspection Authorization (IA) certificate
  • At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12, including oversight of maintenance and parts contracts for agency aircraft
  • Aircraft maintenance experience within the last 3 years in a repair station, air carrier, military, or governmental facility
  • Experience with maintenance and repair of FAA civil certificated airframes, power plants, and systems for multi-engine aircraft (up to or over 12,500 pounds takeoff weight)
  • Valid state driver's license, fluency in English, high school diploma or equivalent, and no more than two federal aviation regulation violations in the last 5 years
  • Good distant vision, ability to hear conversational voice, and no physical conditions that would interfere with aircraft duties

Full Job Description

This position is located within the Washington Office Fire and Aviation Management (WO-FAM) AD Aviation unit.

This position serves as an expert in providing technical expertise and knowledge on all airworthiness issues regarding aircraft and aviation maintenance and works on projects of the National Airworthiness program.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Russel Knight at russel.knight@usda.gov.

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements.

Note on Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed.

This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time.

Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Basic Requirement for the Aviation Safety Series, 1825: Applicants must meet all of the following requirements: General Requirements: 1.

Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years; 2. Valid State driver's license; 3. Fluency in the English language; 4.

No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and 5. High school diploma or equivalent. Medical Requirements: 1.

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; 2.

Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); 3.

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 climb in, on, crawl under or fly as passengers in a variety of aircraft.

Specialized Experience, Training, and Certification Requirements: When the predominant work involves general aviation maintenance, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) positions must meet all of the following requirements.

Experience involving the maintenance and repair of airframes, power plants, and aircraft systems with responsibility for certifying airworthiness.

Experience involving the maintenance and repair of FAA civil certificated airframes, power plants, and systems of multi-engine aircraft of 12,500 pounds or less maximum certificated takeoff weight OR more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight maintained under an airworthiness maintenance and inspection program.

Aircraft maintenance experience in a repair station; air carrier or airline repair facility; military repair facility; or local, state or Federal governmental agency.

Aircraft maintenance work experience within the last 3 years.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) ratings Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspection Authorization (IA) certificate.

In addition to meeting the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required for the grade specified.

Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-13 grade level: Applicant must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 level.

Specialized experience is defined by one or more of the following: Provided oversight as a representative for maintenance and parts contracts servicing agency owned Working Capital Fleet (WCF) aircraft; and/or Scheduled, participated in and approved agency carding inspections and maintenance actions of assigned aircraft; and/or Inspected and provided surveillance and oversight of agency owned, contracted or cooperator aircraft, which have undergone major overhaul, alterations, or repairs; and/or Compiled and reported findings, making recommendations on repairs and modifications to agency owned, contracted or cooperator aircraft; and/or Determined appropriate maintenance activity level for complex and critical maintenance issues to agency owned, contracted or cooperator aircraft.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Major Duties:

  • Duties listed are at the full performance GS-13 grade level.
  • Serve as team member for projects of the National Airworthiness Program.
  • Inspect and approve contractor and cooperator aircraft, fuel service vehicles, support equipment, and maintenance personnel.
  • Participate on Aviation Safety Assistance Teams (ASAT).
  • Participate in contract evaluation panels, review teams, and audits.
  • Ensure maintenance on Working Capital Fleet (WCF) aircraft.
  • Monitors and plans inspection programs including periodic field audits and reviews.
  • Exercises authority for oversight of one or more contract operators, which collectively employ a fleet of aircraft, powered by turbine or piston engines.
  • Serves as Contracting Officer's Representative on aviation maintenance/support contracts.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 3/3/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/3/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 26-FIRE-WO-12897619-13G-MB