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Aircraft Rigging Jobs (NOW HIRING)

RIGGING WORKER

Sewell, NJ · On-site

$22.75 - $29.25/hr

Summary You will serve as a RIGGING WORKER in the DEPARTMENT OF NAVY to include work sites of ... You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time. * This ...

Flight Mechanic A-AP

Wichita, KS · On-site

$25.75 - $33.75/hr

To perform mechanic work and lead other mechanics to prepare aircraft mechanically for flight test ... Sets instruments, tests running of engines, rigging and synchronizing throttles and setting stops.

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Aircraft Rigging information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Aircraft Rigger, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Aircraft Rigger, you need a solid understanding of aircraft structures, mechanical systems, and relevant engineering principles, usually acquired through an aviation maintenance program or apprenticeship. Familiarity with specialized tools, rigging equipment, and aircraft maintenance manuals, as well as certifications such as an FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license, are typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and strong teamwork skills distinguish top performers in this role. These skills and qualifications are crucial for ensuring the safety, reliability, and optimal performance of aircraft systems.

What are some common challenges faced by aircraft rigging technicians, and how are they typically addressed on the job?

Aircraft rigging technicians often encounter challenges such as ensuring precise alignment and tension of control cables, rods, and surfaces, which are critical for safe flight operations. Small measurement errors can significantly impact performance, so technicians use specialized tools and follow strict guidelines to achieve accuracy. They also work closely with engineers and inspectors to troubleshoot issues and verify that all adjustments meet regulatory standards. Continuous training and adherence to detailed maintenance manuals are essential for overcoming these challenges and maintaining safety.

What is aircraft rigging?

Aircraft rigging refers to the process of adjusting and aligning the various components of an aircraft—such as control surfaces, cables, and structural parts—to ensure safe and optimal flight performance. Rigging tasks include setting control surface deflections, checking cable tensions, and ensuring that wings, stabilizers, and flight controls are properly aligned according to manufacturer specifications. Proper rigging is crucial for the aircraft’s safety, handling characteristics, and efficiency.

What is the difference between Aircraft Rigging vs Aircraft Maintenance Technician?

AspectAircraft RiggingAircraft Maintenance Technician
CredentialsFAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license, rigging certificationsFAA A&P license, specialized maintenance certifications
Work EnvironmentAircraft assembly, disassembly, and component installationRoutine inspections, repairs, troubleshooting
Industry UsageAircraft manufacturing, modification, and overhaulAircraft repair, servicing, and maintenance
Common Search/ComparisonAircraft Rigging vs Aircraft Maintenance Technician

Aircraft rigging focuses on installing, adjusting, and ensuring the proper functioning of aircraft components, often during manufacturing or major modifications. Aircraft maintenance technicians perform routine inspections, repairs, and troubleshooting to keep aircraft operational. While both roles require FAA A&P certification, rigging emphasizes assembly and component alignment, whereas maintenance technicians focus on ongoing aircraft health and repairs.

More about Aircraft Rigging jobs
Infographic showing various Aircraft Rigging job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution.
RIGGING WORKER

$24.50 - $31.50/hr

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


United States Navy rating

6.2

Company rating: 6.2 out of 10

Based on 369 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

39th of 46 rated military and defense


Job description

Summary
You will serve as a RIGGING WORKER in the DEPARTMENT OF NAVY to include work sites of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Trident Refit Facility Bangor and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
Applicants will only be considered for positions within their own UIC. For example: if you are within UIC 4523A, you will only be considered for positions within 4523A.
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Duties
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  • You will work with Riggers in dry docking and launching operations.
  • You will direct operations of cranes and similar equipment capacities using standard signals.
  • You will determine the placement of gear to assure loads are secure and balanced.
  • You will perform spot checks to assure established rigging methods and safety practices are being followed.
  • You will utilize protective equipment and clothing for work assignments.
  • You will demonstrate proficient knowledge of rigging to assist Journeymen Riggers, or lead lesser skilled workers, in installation, removal, and repositioning of machinery, structural members of ships or buildings, heavy equipment or other loads.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • Must be a US Citizen.
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
  • Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • This may be a bargaining unit position.
  • You may be required to successfully complete a pre-appointment physical examination.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or fail the test. You may be subject to random drug testing.
  • You may be required to wear personal protective equipment such as helmets, gloves, coveralls, glasses, goggles, respirators and safety shoes continuously for the duration of the work shift.
  • Work may be performed in areas where potentially harmful physical and chemical agents are present (e.g. fumes, dust, heat, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and chemicals). You may be required to participate in medical surveillance programs.
  • This position may require exposure to high noise levels.
  • This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
  • This position may be subject to work an uncommon tour, including nights, weekends, and holidays to meet mission requirements. Overtime or night differential pay and/or unusual duty hours may be required.

Qualifications
Although a specific length of time and experience is not required for most trade and labor occupations, you must show through experience and training that you possess the quality level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the position at the level for which you are applying. Qualification requirements emphasis is on quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the job elements and screen out listed below.
This job has a screen-out element which will be used to determine minimum eligibility for this job. Applicants who do not receive a minimum of two points on the screen-out element(s) will be found ineligible. The Screen-out Element for this position is: ABILITY TO DO THE WORK OF THE POSITION WITHOUT MORE THAN NORMAL SUPERVISION.
Applicants must meet the requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Job Qualification Handbook for Trades and Labor Occupations. Additional qualification information can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/federal-wage-system-qualifications/#url=List-of-Approved-Job-Elements
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Salary is based on geographical location and is subject to change with the annual local wage surveys in accordance with the provisions of 5 CFR Part 532 for all employees whose official duty station is located within the geographic boundary of the wage area definition. For more information please visit: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/BWN/AFWageSchedules/
SALARY:
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard:
WA: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/143/143R-06Jan2025.pdf
CA: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/FWS%20Special%20Schedules/AM_A017_017_San_Diego,California.pdf
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/044/044R-25Nov2025.pdf
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard:
ME: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/087/087R-02Jan2025.pdf
CA: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/017/017R-02Jan2025.pdf
Norfolk Naval Shipyard:
VA: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/140/140R-09Jul2024.pdf
PA: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/115/115R-02Jan2025.pdf
Trident Refit Facility, Bangor, WA: https://wageandsalary.dcpas.osd.mil/Content/AF%20Schedules/survey-sch/143/143R-06Jan2025.pdf
This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.
Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.
A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.
Temporary promotions may be extended up to 5 years at the discretion of management and in accordance with applicable regulations.
Temporary actions taken under this announcement may be made permanent without further competition.
Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees.
A relocation incentive is generally a single payment intended to offset some of the relocation costs experienced by the selectee. A relocation incentive may be authorized.
Applicants rated ineligible on this vacancy announcement need to reapply and update their application package to be considered on future vacancies filled through this announcement.
Applicants selected and hired through this vacancy announcement need to reapply to be considered on future vacancies filled through this announcement.
Referral lists will be issued on an as-needed basis as vacancies occur.
All eligibility and qualifications must be met by the referral cut-off date.
Military Spouse Preference applicants will be placed at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined Best Qualified (BQ). A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies comparable to others who meet the competitive referral criteria for the specific position.
Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf
PPP applicants will be placed at the FPL, if determined Well Qualified (WQ). To receive priority consideration, the FPL must be the same grade level or equivalent of the retained grade or the grade held immediately prior to separation.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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Industry

National security, national security and international affairs, public safety statistics centers and offices, guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing and public administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Washington, DC, US

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