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Air Traffic Controller Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Last updated: September 27, 2023

Including a good job description within your job posting is a great way to gain the attention of job seekers. Hundreds of job seekers are browsing Indeed every day, any by using this template, you can create a job description to help find the right air traffic controller for your company.

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Air Traffic Controller Duties and Responsibilities

The main responsibility an Air Traffic Controllers has is to ensure safety of aircrafts during landing and takeoff and while in the air. They do this by directing the pilots’ movements and monitoring where other aircrafts are at all times in order to avoid any collisions or accidents. Other duties an air traffic controller may have are as follows:

  • Inform pilots of any runway closures, bad weather or other critical information
  • Direct a pilot through the entire landing and takeoff process
  • Alert the airport response team whenever there is an aircraft emergency
  • Give departing flight control to other traffic control centers, and receive control of any arriving flights
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Air Traffic Controller Job Description Examples

Example 1

AIR Traffic Controller *NO Experience Required*

Please DO NOT apply if you are more than 2 hours away from Roseville, CA. Qualified applicants will be required to do a face to face interview within 48 to 72 hours of phone interview.

NOW Hiring for urgent need position as an Air Traffic Controller with the US Navy! This is an ENTRY LEVEL position, therefore no experience or certifications are required to apply. Air Traffic Controllers (AC) provide air traffic control services in air traffic control towers, radar air traffic control facilities, fleet area control and surveillance facilities, and air operations offices ashore and afloat; operate radio communication systems and light signals; direct aircraft under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR); operate surveillance radar, precision radar, data link approach systems, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment and other air traffic control equipment; respond to emergency air traffic situations; maintain current flight planning information and reference material; and assist pilots in preparing and processing flight plans.

PAID Training IS Included WITH ALL Accepted Applications FOR THIS Position.

The ideal candidate will be:

17-39 years old A US Citizen/I551 holder High School Diploma/GED

No felony convictions Be able to pass a drug test, and background check as applicable under state and federal laws Be able to pass an Eighth grade level basic aptitude test Be willing to relocate All training is FAA certified, can result in up to 60 college credits, and carries a guaranteed 4 year contract upon graduation. Please DO NOT apply if you are more than 2 hours away from Roseville, CA. Qualified applicants will be required to do a face to face interview within 48 to 72 hours of phone interview.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Contract

Pay: $2,723.68 - $6,483.86 per month

Benefits:
  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Employee assistance program
  • Employee discount
  • Flexible schedule
  • Flexible spending account
  • Health insurance
  • Health savings account
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Parental leave
  • Professional development assistance
  • Referral program
  • Relocation assistance
  • Retirement plan
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Vision insurance
    Schedule:
  • Day shift
  • Evening shift
  • Monday to Friday
  • Night shift
  • Overnight shift
  • Weekend availability

    COVID-19 considerations:
    No mask required

    Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Roseville, CA 95678: Reliably commute or willing to relocate with an employer-provided relocation package (Preferred)

    Application Question(s):
  • DO YOU HAVE ANY Felonies ON YOUR Background THAT WOULD Prevent YOU FROM Qualifying?
  • Are you able to serve the Military?

    Education:
  • High school or equivalent Location: One location

    • Example 2

    Job Title

    Instructor 2

    Location

    Multiple locations: Los Angeles, Palmdale, Bakersfield, Sacramento, Fresno California

    Roles & Responsibilities

    The Instructor II (Field) will assist in the conduct and administration of various classroom and simulation courses to be conducted at FAA s Field sites. Instructor II s may also be involved in ISD projects. In addition to meeting all qualifications and having all certifications required of an Instructor 2.

    Authorities

    Certified to teach Air Traffic Control Students in an FAA Air Traffic Control Facility

    Capabilities & Qualifications

    The Instructor I (Field) must have a minimum of five (5) years recent CPC experience controlling live traffic, or recent experience as a contract Instructor at an FAA facility. Recent experience is defined as having performed ATC operations or instructing FAA personnel within the last five (5) years. The recent experience must have been at the same type and same level of ATC facility (e.g. Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), Terminal Radar Approach Control (Tracon)), requesting training support.

    Benefit Conditions:

  • Only full-time employees eligible

    COVID-19 Precaution(s):

  • Remote interview process
  • Personal protective equipment provided or required
  • Social distancing guidelines in place
  • Sanitizing, disinfecting, or cleaning procedures in place

    Hours per week:

  • 30-39

    Work Remotely

  • No

    This Job Is Ideal for Someone Who Is:

  • Dependable -- more reliable than spontaneous
  • People-oriented -- enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
  • Detail-oriented -- would rather focus on the details of work than the bigger picture
  • Autonomous/Independent -- enjoys working with little direction

    Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

    Pay: $27.00 - $30.00 per hour

    Benefits:
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Referral program
  • Vision insurance
    Schedule:
  • 8 hour shift

    Work One location

    • Example 3

    *Job Duties* * Control airborne and ground traffic * Assist in the of tactical air traffic control facilities * Process flight plan data and maintain logs, records, files and tape recordings of voice communications *Requirements* * Those who want to serve must first take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a series of tests that helps you better understand your strengths and identify which Army jobs are best for you. * Must have 2 years ATC experience and a FAA control tower operator's certificate and control tower facility training. In addition, a Federal Aviation Agency certificate of grades reflecting successful completion of written examination in accordance with AR 95-2. * Be at least 17 years old to 35 years old. *Training* * Job training for a Air Traffic Control requires 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training. Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Contract Pay: From $3,200.00 per month Work Location: One location

    What Does an Air Traffic Controller Do?

    Air Traffic Controllers coordinate aircraft movements in order to keep safe distance between multiple aircrafts. They direct aircraft traffic efficiently to avoid delays as safely as possible. By using computers, radar and visual references, an Air Traffic Controllers monitors aircraft movements in the skies and directs pilots while they are on the ground to manage the flow of ground traffic.

    Air Traffic Controller Skills and Qualifications

    The right Air Traffic Controllers candidate for your company should possess a variety of skills to execute their job correctly. Skills such as the ability to communicate efficiently and effectively are important because an Air Traffic Controllers has to communicate all steps of landing and departure with the pilot, among other things. Other important skills an Air Traffic Controllers should have are:

    • Decision making skills when faced with a situation where a decision must be made immediately to ensure the safety of aircrafts and anyone involved
    • Math skills in order to compute the speed, distance and time of various aircrafts and when they should arrive at their destinations
    • Concentration skills will help keep air traffic controllers stay focused on the task at hand when in a loud room full of other controllers
    • Organizational skills to be able to organize flights as they come in and leave and ensure everything happens in a clean, safe manner free of accidents

    Air Traffic Controller Salary Expectations

    Based on Indeed, the average salary for an Air Traffic Controllers is $47,806 a year with a typical tenure of 4-6 years. This information is based on anonymous information submitted by 310 employees and users as well as a combination of past and present job advertisements.

    Air Traffic Controller Education and Training Requirements

    The typical educational requirement for Air Traffic Controllers candidates is to have an associate or bachelor’s degree from an Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program. The courses in these programs train the candidates in aviation weather, clearances, airspace, federal regulations, chart reading and other related topics. Candidates must complete a biographical assessment to evaluate their personality fitness. Furthermore, they must also pass a physical exam every year, a job performance exam twice a year and periodic drug testing.

    Air Traffic Controller Experience Requirements

    Many employers prefer air traffic controllers to have at least three years of progressively responsible work experience and/or have completed four years of college. Air Traffic Controllers must have passed the FAA Academy before age 31 to forgo training and become a developmental controller upon graduating. As a developmental controller, the candidate will have to go through a series of training to fulfill numerous requirements. Once all requirements have been completed while in the developmental controller position, the candidate can become a fully fledged air traffic controller.

    Job Description Samples for Similar Positions

    If an air traffic controller isn’t exactly what you are looking for, here are some job description samples for similar positions that you may need:

    Ready to Hire an Air Traffic Controller?Build an Air Traffic Controller Job Description

    Job Description Examples

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