How do you get a job with the FAA?

Go to the following web site https://faa.usajobs.gov/
You can then search for all of the currently open jobs and what the minimum requirements are.
Air Safety Inspectors for the Pilots side will usually require a Pilots License.
Air Safety Inspectors for the Maintenance will usually require a Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics Certificate.
The above will usually also require some experience in the field working as a Pilot or Mechanic.

Well, what kind of job would you like to get with the FAA? the FAA has many career fields, from engineering, to air traffic control, to being an inspector. Each career requires different education and experience requirements.

I'm an air traffic controller and a manager with the FAA. I've been with the FAA since 2010, and prior to that, I was an instructor pilot at an airline. There are essentially two ways to become an air traffic controller.

1. 
   

   You gain experience in the military as an air traffic controller. Once your commitment is up with the military, you can apply to the FAA and use your experience there.

   
   


2. 
   

   Sometimes, the FAA opens a hiring window for people "off the street." ...meaning they have no ATC experience, but they either have a 4 year degree, or progressively more responsible work experience. There are a series of personality assessments, tests, etc (like the previous poster said.) This is a very competitive avenue to become a controller.

   
   

As a student now, make sure you get good grades, work hard and don't get in trouble. if you have an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) type things, you'd probably really like this job. If you like solving complex games, or playing chess, etc, you'd probably like this job.

Being an air traffic controller is one of the greatest jobs in the world, with great camaraderie, a very nice salary, and a good sense of pride.

To become an air traffic controller, a person must be a U.S. citizen, pass medical and background checks, achieve a qualifying score on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pre-employment test, and complete a training course at the FAA Academy.

Controllers also must pass a physical exam each year and a job performance exam twice per year. In addition, they must pass periodic drug screenings.

Most applicants must take and pass the Air Traffic Standardized Aptitude Test (AT-SAT). It is an 8-hour, computer-based exam. Some of the characteristics tested include arithmetic, prioritization, planning, tolerance for high intensity, decisiveness, visualization, problem solving, and movement detection.