Air Traffic Control Specialist - Trainee

Federal Aviation Administration •

Washington, Georgia, United States

Position Type: Contractor

Job Description:

Air Traffic Control Trainee

This is a developmental Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) position responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious movement of air traffic through the nations airspace. Developmental controllers receive a wide range of training in controlling and separating live air traffic within designated airspace at and around an airport traffic Control Tower or Radar Approach control facility, or En Route traffic control center.

Duties

As a new ATCS, you will spend your first several weeks of employment in an intensive paid training program at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK. ATCS trainees will receive an hourly wage plus full benefits. The FAA also provides food, housing, and travel allowances to help offset daily cost of living while attending the FAA Academy in accordance with applicable agency policies.
While attending academy training you will be on a temporary appointment. Academy students receive basic and initial qualification air traffic control training at the FAA Academy, which includes:
- Complete occupational indoctrination including highlights of Federal employment, familiarization with organizational structure & functions, aircraft, air traffic control system, & aviation industry, classroom instruction & workshop exercises relating to the air traffic control system.
Individuals who do not successfully complete training at the FAA Academy and all other necessary requirements will have their employment terminated.
Prior failure of FAA Academy training or prior declination of permanent facility placement offer after completing Academy training may constitute a basis for non-selection and/or Veterans Preference pass over.
Prior experience or training in air traffic control is not required. If a candidate applies for and is selected under this temporary trainee announcement, all of the employment conditions associated with this FG-3 position will apply, regardless of whether the candidate possesses the specialized experience that would have otherwise qualified them under an experienced vacancy announcement.
If selected and hired, upon successful completion of Academy training, newly hired ATCS will be offered a permanent appointment at an FAA facility with a minimum basic salary of $45,782 plus applicable locality pay based on duty location. Applicants with prior ATCS experience will have their salary set in accordance with the ATCS Collective Bargaining Agreement, upon conversion.
Newly hired ATCS will receive pay increases as they successfully complete the progressive phases of ATCS training at their assigned facility. It is important to note that annual salary varies greatly by facility and complexity level. ATCSs receive significant pay raises as they progress through ATCS training. On average, the salary will increase to $60,000 per year, and additional pay increases will be granted as you certify and progress at your assigned facility. Generally, most controllers are making a six-figure salary within three years. The time to reach Certified Professional Controller (CPC) or full certification and pay is approximately 2-3 years depending on the facility size, level, and complexity. Last year, the average for Certified Professional Controllers was $158,000 per year.
The FAA has Air Traffic Control Facilities in every state as well as Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. This announcement is open to applicants willing to work at any FAA Air Traffic Control Facility. Facility placements will be finalized the day following successful completion of Academy training. Declining to select a facility from the list of available facilities will result in termination of employment, as placement will be based upon the needs of the FAA.

After successful completion of Academy training, the ATCS will enter the appropriate phase of field training as determined by the assigned facility to prepare for advancement to the Certified Professional Controller (CPC) level and must learn the skills needed for operation at higher levels of responsibility. Successful certification at assigned FAA facility is required. Failure to certify to CPC level will result in separation, demotion or reassignment.

Job Requirements:
Requirements Conditions of Employment

US Citizenship is required.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
All applicants must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA).

Qualifications

All candidates must meet ONE of the following FIVE minimum qualifications for the position, as outlined below. Additional Pool eligibilities are required based on specific Pool election. Please read this section carefully and contact Aviation Careers with any questions prior to the vacancy closing date.

1. TO QUALIFY BASED ON WORK EXPERIENCE: applicants must document 1 year of full time (40 hours per week) work experience; part time will be pro-rated based on a 40-hour work week.

2. TO QUALIFY BASED UPON EDUCATION: applicants must document a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. An associate degree alone does not meet the minimum requirement, see #3 below. Schools must be accredited as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and copies of the transcript official/unofficial which includes the name of the institution, semester or quarter hours earned and/or confer date at time of application.

CTI: To be eligible for Pool 1 your transcript must reflect the confer date and you must also provide the Official CTI Endorsement Letter at time of application. 2024 FALL SEMESTER GRADUATES - you must provide current transcripts (official or unofficial) and will be required to provide final transcripts reflecting degree earned and confer date prior to any offer of employment, if selected. Additionally, CTI - 2024 Fall Semester graduates will be required to provide the official endorsement letter with official transcripts, if selected. *Please note, an Official Endorsement Letter is not a personal recommendation.

3. TO QUALIFY BASED UPON THE COMBINATION OF BOTH WORK EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: The applicant's total qualifying experience time is converted to a percentage, then the education time is converted to a percentage. The combined percentages must equal 100%. At the undergraduate level, successfully completed education that has not led to possession of a bachelor's degree is credited based on its relationship to 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours. Example: Candidates with an associate degree must also have some work experience to meet this combination requirement. Transcripts are required at application submission for verification purposes with exceptions for 2024 Fall Semester graduates.

4. TO QUALIFY BASED ON SPECIALIZED WORK EXPERIENCE AS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST: applicants qualifying based on specialized experience must provide supporting documentation that verifies this requirement has been met (e.g., FAA certificate, military certificate or training record).

5. TO QUALIFY BASED ON ALTERNATIVE REQUIREMENTS: applicants must provide supporting documentation that verifies at least one of the following alternative requirements are met:

a. Do you hold or have held an appropriate facility rating and have actively controlled air traffic in civilian or military air traffic control terminals or centers?
b. Do you hold or have held an FAA certificate as a dispatcher for an air carrier?
c. Do you hold or have held an instrument flight rating?
d. Do you hold or have held an FAA certificate as a navigator or have been fully qualified as a Navigator/Bombardier in the Armed Forces?
e. Do you have 350 hours of flight time as a copilot or higher and hold or have held a private certificate or equivalent Armed Forces rating?
f. Have you served as a rated Aerospace Defense Command Intercept Director?

Successful candidates must be able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment.

Minimum qualifications required for all positions; additional eligibilities required based on Pool election.

APPLICANT POOLS:

POOL 1 - ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants MUST meet one of the following criteria (1, 2, OR 3) listed below, and MUST provide supporting documentation in order to be eligible for consideration in Pool 1.

1. A graduate from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program, and who has received from the institution an appropriate recommendation (i.e., official endorsement letter). MUST SUBMIT: (1) official/unofficial transcripts showing degree confer date AND (2) the official endorsement letter from the school. All supporting documentation must be received prior to the closing date of this vacancy. * If you are a 2024 Fall Semester graduate, you must provide a current transcript and will be required to provide the official endorsement letter and final transcript reflecting degree earned with confer date prior to any offer of employment, if selected.

2. A Veteran eligible for a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) pursuant to Section 4214 of Title 38 and can provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days from the announcement closing.

3. An eligible Veteran maintaining aviation experience obtained in the course of their military experience and/or entitled to Veterans' Preference (must meet eligibility requirements in section 2108 of Title 5, United States Code) and can provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days from the announcement closing.

NOTE for 2 & 3: Applicable Veterans MUST SUBMIT a DD-214 with character of service in block 24, OR written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the closing date this announcement. Applicants who are not within 120 days of separation will be assessed as non-preference eligibles.

Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) eligible applicants:

Disabled Veterans; or
Veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized; or
Veterans who, while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces Service Medal was awarded; or
Recently separated Veterans (defined as; within the last 3 years).
Veterans claiming eligibility on the basis of service in a campaign or expedition for which a medal was awarded must be in receipt of the campaign badge or medal. In addition to meeting the criteria above, eligible Veterans must have been separated under honorable conditions, or general discharge. Please also see section 'All Veterans' at the bottom of this vacancy announcement, for further documentation requirements for Veterans.

POOL 2 - ELIGIBILITY:

Pool 2 applicants are all other U.S. Citizens who do not meet the requirements for Pool 1, OR Pool 1 eligibles who elect to be considered for Pool 2.

Pool 2 applicants may not apply for Pool 1 unless they meet the eligibility requirements outlined for Pool 1.

If eligible for Pool 1, may elect consideration for Pool 2; but not both.

Regardless of Pool election, all candidates qualifying based on education must provide official transcripts reflecting degree earned and confer date prior to prior to offer of employment, if selected for the position (this includes CTI).
Prior graduates must provide official or unofficial transcripts at the time of application. Fall semester 2024 graduates will be required to provide current transcripts, and official copies prior to any employment offer, if selected.

Age Requirements: A maximum age of 30 years is established for initial entry into air traffic control positions (2152 series) covered by Public Law 92-297. Persons who have reached their 31st birthday may not be appointed to these positions. You must be under age 31 as of the vacancy closing date. If experience was gained as a civilian ATCS with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or Department of Defense (DOD), you must have been hired prior to age 31 and provide supporting documentation (copies of SF-50 personnel actions).

Please see the Required Documents section for further information regarding supporting documentation requirements.

Education

All applicants who are using education as a qualifier must submit a copy of the official/unofficial transcripts to substantiate all credit hours earned and/or confer date prior to EOD.

Limited exceptions for 2024 Fall Semester graduates regardless of Pool election, as identified below:

Applicants must document a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and copies of the transcript official/unofficial which includes the name of the institution, semester or quarter hours earned and/or confer date must be provided at time of application.

CTI graduates - to be eligible for Pool 1 your transcript must reflect the confer date and you must also provide the *Official CTI Endorsement Letter at time of application.

2024 FALL SEMESTER GRADUATES - you must provide current transcripts (official or unofficial) and will be required to provide final transcripts reflecting degree earned and confer date prior to any offer of employment, if selected. Additionally, CTI - 2024 Fall Semester graduates will be required to provide the official endorsement letter with official transcripts, if selected. *Please note, an Official Endorsement Letter is not a personal recommendation. This letter should be on official CTI school letter head, signed by the designated CTI point of contact, and certify/endorse that all CTI program requirements have been met (or would have been met/effective as of 12/31/13).

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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.

Required Documents

Please utilize this link for a helpful checklist: application-checklist (faa.gov) Applicants qualifying based on education, including Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) must submit a copy of the official/unofficial transcripts to substantiate all credit hours earned and confer date prior to EOD. CTI applicants must also submit an official endorsement certifying the individual met the CTI requirements for an appropriate recommendation. *Please see the Education section for additional details. Applicants who have previous 2152 experience and are past the maximum entry age of 31, MUST provide a copy of a Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that verifies original appointment to the civilian 2152 occupational series prior to reaching the maximum entry age of 31. This would be the initial Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50/new-hire action into the 2152 series) received from your servicing Federal Human Resources office. If you do not have a copy of your initial Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50/new-hire action into the 2152 series), you can request it through the National Personnel Records Center at the following link: https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/opf

All Veterans: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit either a DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member 4 Copy or equivalent), or a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions. If you are claiming 10 point preference, you must also submit a completed SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference, and supporting documents outlined on the SF-15. Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.

If you are claiming 10 point preference but fail to submit the supporting documents outlined on the SF-15, you will be tentatively assessed as a 5 point preference eligible provided your DD Form 214 reflects that you have the service required to qualify for preference. Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.

Veterans currently on active duty claiming veterans' preference: You will be granted tentative preference if you submit a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions and your application shows that you have the required service. Prior to being appointed, you must provide to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office a DD Form 214 documenting discharge/release and showing that the service was honorable or general. If you are on terminal leave, you must provide documentation certifying authorized terminal leave.

Forms:

SF-15 : Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference

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.

Salary Range: $35,947 - $37,145

Job Ident #: 810055200

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Air Traffic Control Specialist - Trainee

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