Air Transportation Specialist Apprentice

Summary:  

Completes on-the-job training to develop skills and knowledge to perform Air Transportation Specialist functions to support cargo and passenger movements to and from McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 

Position Responsibilities: 

• Conducts and documents daily maintenance checks on automated and manual material handling equipment, including pallet jacks, forklifts, Delta III transport vehicles, passenger vans and pick-up trucks. 

• Uses material handling equipment for cargo loading and unloading operations, including wheeled forklifts with 4,000-15,000 lb. capacities and cargo sleds. 

• Follows safety and security precautions for handling and storing hazardous materials, special cargo, mail, and passenger baggage. 

• Palletizes cargo for shipment via cargo aircraft, ensuring cargo is secured with appropriate devices and equipment in accordance with current USAF regulations. 

• Ensures proper handling and loading of hazardous cargo according to military and/or commercial transportation regulations. 

• Transports cargo to and from airfields and storage areas. 

• Loads and unloads cargo and passenger aircraft according to established procedures. 

• Checks arriving cargo against manifest, and documents overage, shortage, or damage. 

• Receives, identifies and distributes cargo to end users in an efficient manner without compromising condition of cargo. 

• Conducts quality assurance checks throughout the cargo movement and pallet building process, reporting any damage to cargo and equipment immediately to a supervisor for further documentation. 

• Maintains and performs required preventative maintenance and inventory of tie-down equipment, including 463L Air Force pallets, cargo straps and nets, chains and tensioners. 

• Identifies, labels and prepares damaged aircraft pallets and tie-down equipment for shipment to CONUS or Christchurch, New Zealand. 

• Responsible for maintaining a safe workplace and ensuring that safety is the highest priority in the workplace. 

• Attends daily/weekly safety meetings. 

• Performs other duties as required. 

Required Education, Experience, Certificates and Licenses: 

• High School diploma or equivalent 

• 0-6 months of warehouse or cargo/freight operations experience, including the use of forklifts, hand trucks or other powered and non-powered lifting devices. 

Expected Skills and Competencies: 

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment. 

Preferred: 

• Knowledge of passenger and cargo movement functions to include loading and unloading aircraft; operation of material handling and other types of loading equipment or devices; processing, scheduling, and maintaining records relating to passenger and cargo movement by airlift; cargo securing techniques. 

Physical and/or Other Requirements: 

• Willingness and ability to deploy to Antarctica for extended periods  

• Successful completion of Medical and Dental examinations required by the NSF for deployment to Antarctica 

• Successful completion of drug screening and background check required by employer 

• Successful completion of Federal Background Check required by the NSF 

• Must be willing and able to lift and move items, parts, assemblies, and equipment up to the safety regulation maximum as required by the position.  

• Must be willing and able to perform physical activities including heavy lifting, climbing in and out of equipment, crawling, and working outdoors in extreme cold as required by the position.  

• Must participate in community programs, such as “house-mouse” (chores), “daisy-picking” (cleaning-up around the station), recycling efforts & safety objectives.  

• Valid Driver’s License issued in the United States 

• Must be able to obtain and maintain facility credentials/authorization. Note: US Citizenship is required for facility credentials/authorization at this work location.