The Senior Technical Specialist (STS) for Advanced Cabin Safety serves as a senior professional within the Office of Aviation Safety (AVS). This STS provides an agency-wide, mission-critical, leadership role in identifying and mitigating aviation safety and security risk related to cabin safety and occupant protection under the minimal direction of a manager or an executive.
Duties
The STS represents the FAA at highly sensitive threat-based briefings and meetings on aircraft cabin safety with other U.S. Government partners, where an Aircraft Certification perspective and presence is required with respect to potential threats to critical U.S. national infrastructure which may require access to classified information at the Top Secret-SCI level.
Applies experience and expert knowledge of engineering principles, theories, and concepts to evaluate the readiness of emerging technologies, shape agency policies, consult on problems of major significance, and promote adoption of the most safety enhancing operational requirements and practices into the FAA’s regulatory and certification programs. Applies knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices related to physical aircraft cabin security and survivability technologies to minimize accidents and improve aviation safety.
The STS is a recognized expert within the FAA and works to retain and strengthen U.S. leadership in research and knowledge related to materials flammability; impact to materials and/or aircraft systems in off-nominal environments; fire protection; emergency escape systems and evacuation principles; flotation; interior configuration; occupant safety measures tied to crash dynamics; and physical security measures, including flightdeck security, explosion mitigation, and safety information presentation. The incumbent works to develop professional relationships with technical experts in the U.S. and abroad to enhance the technical competency of the aviation community. This STS defines and evaluates requirements for new and novel cabin safety and occupant protection methods and collaborates with the aviation industry to address advanced cabin safety risks and associated corrective actions.
Represents the FAA at highly sensitive threat-based briefings and meetings on aircraft cabin safety with other U.S. Government partners such as Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Department of Defense, where an Aircraft Certification perspective and presence is required with respect to potential threats to critical U.S. national infrastructure.
Coordinates regulatory initiatives with foreign airworthiness authorities to provide harmonized requirements to expedite and reduce the cost of international certification to the aviation industry.
Plans, directs, promotes, and coordinates R&D programs and projects to develop, test, and evaluate new technologies, address service difficulties, and promote FAA adoption of safety enhancing policies and practices in the realm of cabin safety and the cabin environment.
Participates in the establishment or refinement of aircraft certification policies, practices, procedures, and criteria pertaining to cabin safety and occupant protection, ensuring that state-of-the-art requirements and methodology are incorporated.
Participates in the deliberations and activities of industry consensus-based standards organizations that provide standards, specifications, test methods, and guidelines for the cabin safety and occupant protection industries.
Evaluates domestic and international cabin safety and occupant protection industries to support industry incorporation of these new technologies.
Reviews and recommends approval of technical and scientific reports and papers based on the results of FAA sponsored research in the areas of cabin safety and occupant protection.
Provides expert advice and assistance to type certification boards, airworthiness directive boards, maintenance review boards, flight operation evaluation boards, special certification review teams, accident investigation teams, and special condition standards review activities
Provides expert advice and assistance on cabin safety and occupant protection effects on aircraft operations, including effects on emergency and aircraft systems.