Fleet Readiness Center East FRC East

Bridge the gap between your military service and a civilian career in aviation maintenance through the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East). This program provides an unparalleled opportunity for transitioning service members to gain hands-on civilian work experience during their final 180 days of service. As a SkillBridge intern, you will continue to receive your military compensation and benefits while training alongside our expert team of civilian artisans and engineers. While our main facility is on Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina, FRC East also operates at the North Carolina Global TransPark in Kinston, Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, Hurlburt Field in Florida, and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina; opportunities may be available at these locations based on mission requirements. This internship is based in the Production Trades Division of the Industrial Execution Department, where you will work as a mechanic at the developmental level. Under the guidance of experienced journey-level mechanics, you will apply your skills to a variety of aircraft systems, performing tasks such as removing, cleaning, and replacing defective parts; assisting with metal repair and fabrication; and working from technical drawings and manuals. This role provides the opportunity to work on some of the most advanced aircraft in the world, including the F/A-18 Hornet, F-35 Lightning II, and various helicopter and tilt-rotor platforms. This opportunity is ideal for transitioning service members with a background in aviation maintenance, mechanics, or a related technical field who are motivated, hands-on learners. The FRC East SkillBridge program is more than just an internship; it's a direct pathway to a stable and fulfilling civilian career where you can gain invaluable experience and continue serving the nation's warfighters.

This is a developmental Aircraft Mechanic position, series 8852, within the Production Trades Division of the Industrial Execution Department at Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East, built around a structured On-the-Job Training (OJT) program where the employee will be paired with a dedicated journey-level mentor and work under the close supervision of a supervisor to develop foundational skills. The incumbent works below the journey-level, assisting higher-graded mechanics by applying standardized procedures to accomplish repairs of limited complexity, such as removing, cleaning, and replacing defective parts like gaskets and actuators; disassembling and assembling aircraft structures; and assisting with metal repair. This role provides hands-on experience with a diverse fleet of military aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II, F/A-18 Hornet, V-22 Osprey, and H-53 Super Stallion. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens and able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance. The work environment is a typical industrial shop or hangar, requiring the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and is physically demanding, requiring frequent standing, bending, and lifting of items up to 50 pounds. While the standard work week is 40 hours, shifts are assigned based on command needs. Importantly, this SkillBridge internship is designed as a pathway to a permanent civil service career; upon successful completion, participants may have the opportunity for non-competitive conversion to a permanent position through available Direct Hire Authorities, contingent upon performance, command approval, and available vacancies. The typical starting salary for a converted employee at the WG-8 level is approximately $52,000 per year (based on 2024 pay scales, Step 1).