Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal)

Summary

About the Position: This position is located with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security - Air Traffic Control on Fort Campbell, KY. Fort Campbell lies on the Kentucky/Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, KY & Clarksville, TN about 45 miles NW of Nashville. Please see Additional Information for TERM information.

Duties

• Provide tower, radar, and non-radar air traffic control (ATC) services to military and civilian aircraft operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), Special Visual Flight Rules (SVFR), or Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
• Direct movement of aircraft in flight and on the ground by utilizing pilot and controller reports, visual observation, and/or tower and approach control radar displays, or a combination of methods.
• Responsible for sequencing, spacing, and issuing clearances and control instructions to aircraft operating in the Class D airspace.
• Inform adjacent sectors or facilities via automated messages or telephonically of changes in aircraft routing, destination, altitude, time revisions aircraft equipment malfunctions and changes in navigational aid or radar.
• Assist in providing on-the-job training of developmental controllers.

Qualifications

This position is included under the provisions of Special Retirement Coverage (SRC) and may have both a maximum entry age and a mandatory retirement date. For more information follow this link: ATC: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol331.pdf Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Specialized Experience GS-11: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Issuing control instructions to aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR), instrument flight rules (IFR), or a combination of both; 2) Directing VFR aircraft by considering items such as, aircraft position, speed, direction of movement, performance characteristics, and runway availability; AND 3) Ensuring the vertical, longitudinal, and lateral separation of aircraft within assigned airspace sectors. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-10). Specialized Experience GS-12: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Issuing control instructions and advisory information to pilots near airports to ensure proper aircraft separation and the safe, efficient flow of traffic; 2) Directing and coordinating radar control operations within assigned airspace in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules, regulations, and radar procedures; 3) Operating Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) and Flight Data Input/Output (FDIO) equipment; AND 4) Sequencing, spacing, and issuing clearances and control instructions to aircraft operating in Class D airspace. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11). Required Certifications: In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirement above, applicants must also be a graduate of a DoD component or FAA approved formal Air Traffic Controller school and possess Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Control Tower Operator (CTO) and/or Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service (AOV) certification. Special Retirement Coverage (SRC) This position has been identified by Department of Army as an Air Traffic Controller as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2109(1)(A) and (1)(B) who is actively engaged in the separation and control of air traffic; or in providing preflight, inflight, or airport advisory service aircraft operators; or is the immediate or second-level supervisor of any employee described above. As described under 5 U.S.C. 8401(35)(B), this also includes the immediate supervisor of the person described in 5 U.S.C. 2109(1)(B). As such, this position is covered under special retirement coverage. The individual hired is subject to Special Retirement provisions to include additional contributions to the retirement fund, mandatory separation/retirement at age 56 with 20 years of approved special retirement service, options for early retirement at any age after 25 years of approved special retirement provisions service, or at age 50 with 20 years of approved special retirement provisions service. Maximum Entry Age (MEA) Department of Defense (DoD), in accordance with 5 USC 3307, has determined an individual must be appointed to their first/original appointment into a DoD position that has been identified and approved for special retirement coverage as an Air Traffic Controller no later than the last day of the month in which they become 36. Preference eligible veterans over the age of 36, may apply regardless of the age restriction. If selected, a waiver of the age restriction will be requested by the hiring official for approval by the Department of Army. Maximum Reentry Age An individual who is past the maximum entry age (36) who previously served in an approved Department of Defense Air Traffic Controller position may be reinstated to a covered position provided they meet the applicable qualification requirements AND will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered service as an Air Traffic Controller by the last day of the month in which they become 56. Waivers to Maximum Entry Age Department of Army may approve an exception to the maximum entry age (36) for original entry into a covered Air Traffic controller position. However, any individual who has reached the mandatory separation age (56) is not eligible for employment or reemployment as an Air Traffic Controller. In addition to providing the required eligibility documentation listed elsewhere in this job announcement, you must provide sufficient documentation to determine proof of age. This documentation should be attached under Proof of Age as identified in the Required Documents section. For reentry into a covered position, you must also provide sufficient documentation (SF- 50s) to show length of service in a previously covered Air Traffic Controller position. Time in Grade Requirement for GS-11: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-10). Time in Grade Requirement for GS-12: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-11).

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/29/2026 to receive consideration Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.