FLIGHT ENGINEER (INSTRUCTOR)

About the Role

As an Air Reserve Technician (ART), you will serve as an Instructor Flight Engineer on the C-5 aircraft, bridging the gap between military service and federal civilian employment. This position is designed to administer, schedule, and conduct comprehensive flight and ground training for flight engineers while performing critical aircrew duties. You will be responsible for the standardization of flight engineer performance, ensuring that all personnel meet the highest standards of safety and operational excellence.

Your day-to-day responsibilities involve a dynamic mix of instruction and hands-on flight operations. You will conduct in-flight, classroom, and on-the-job training, preparing lectures and revising training plans to meet evolving mission needs. While on board the aircraft, you will assist pilots, perform engine starts, monitor flight operations, and manage complex aircraft systems including electrical, hydraulic, fuel, and pressurization controls. Beyond the cockpit, you will advise organizational commanders on the status of flight engineer activities and the adequacy of equipment, ensuring that all training and operational logs remain accurate and compliant with current directives.

This role requires a unique balance of technical mastery and pedagogical skill. You must maintain mission-ready status in the C-5, periodically passing written and in-flight standardization evaluations, including random no-notice assessments. The position also demands proficiency in firearms and the ability to operate in a tactical environment, which may include aggressive maneuvers, low-level flights, and aerial refueling. You will work alongside Reserve units, with a schedule aligned to allow full participation in unit training assemblies, while potentially undertaking temporary duty assignments via military or commercial aircraft.

Hiring Process & Eligibility

This is a competitive Air Reserve Technician position requiring U.S. citizenship and current membership in the Air Force Reserve, or the willingness and qualification to join. Candidates must hold a valid aviation service aeronautical order and have been qualified as a C-5 Flight Engineer (Instructor) within the past eight years. A minimum of 500 total military flight hours is required, and applicants must submit official flight logs, flying history, or ATAFORS forms to verify eligibility.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the FPM 930-71 Recruitment of Air Reserve Technicians through Competitive Examination. Those applying as VEOA candidates or current GS civil service employees must also meet specific time-in-grade requirements. Selected candidates may be subject to a probationary or trial period, random drug testing, and the requirement to maintain current certifications throughout their tenure.

Equal Opportunity & Culture

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. This position is covered by the Lautenberg Amendment; individuals convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position. The role offers the opportunity to serve the nation while maintaining a career in federal service, with potential incentives for recruitment, relocation, and student loan repayment available for eligible candidates.