How to hire an aerospace engineer

How to hire an aerospace engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step aerospace engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an aerospace engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new aerospace engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an aerospace engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The aerospace engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An aerospace engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, aerospace engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of aerospace engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Aerospace Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Aerospace Engineer	Aerospace engineers design primarily aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. In addition, they test prototypes to make sure that they function according to design.	$34-67
   Stress Analyst	A stress analyst is a type of aerospace engineer; they design, construct, and test aircraft. They may also work on missiles or spacecraft... Show more	$30-54
   Engineering Scientist	An engineering scientist is responsible for designing new technological systems through the evaluation of scientific methods and innovative solutions. Engineering scientists analyze technical parts and components, researching the current engineering trends to meet public demands and interests... Show more	$31-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • C++
   • DOD
   • FAA
   • Systems Engineering
   • Solidworks
   • NASA
   • CAD
   • Program Management
   • Structural Analysis
   • Mechanical Systems
   • Project Management
   • Post Processing
   • Java
   • Technical Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead redesign review for cyclic stick, composite to metal, (CATIA).
   • Schedule HVAC equipment to keep equipment off as much as possible and still achieve a healthy, comfortable setting for academics.
   • Manage HVAC retro-commissioning program to optimize facility energy use.
   • Serve as program focal point for integration of radar onto flight test aircraft.
   • Perform design reviews, operations procedural reviews, and failure mode investigations of concept NASA launch vehicles/propulsion systems.
   • Debug and run regression tests.

   More aerospace engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the aerospace engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. An aerospace engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an aerospace engineer in Kansas may be lower than in Arizona, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level aerospace engineer. Additionally, an aerospace engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average aerospace engineer salary

   $100,401yearly

   $48.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level aerospace engineer salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 27, 2025

   Average aerospace engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$116,460	$56
   2	Arizona	$116,337	$56
   3	Washington	$116,079	$56
   4	District of Columbia	$107,620	$52
   5	Colorado	$99,341	$48
   6	Virginia	$94,565	$45
   7	Alabama	$93,673	$45
   8	Michigan	$91,737	$44
   9	North Carolina	$89,540	$43
   10	Texas	$89,492	$43
   11	Georgia	$88,557	$43
   12	South Carolina	$88,307	$42
   13	Pennsylvania	$87,024	$42
   14	Ohio	$86,950	$42
   15	Connecticut	$86,184	$41
   16	Kansas	$78,162	$38
   17	Florida	$77,558	$37
   18	Iowa	$74,383	$36

   Average aerospace engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Thrush Aircraft	$119,557	$57.48
   2	Joby Aviation	$119,473	$57.44	40
   3	CTS Corporation	$119,274	$57.34	2
   4	Learjet	$118,975	$57.20
   5	M.I.T. International, Inc.	$111,160	$53.44	6
   6	Marposs	$110,332	$53.04
   7	Callahan	$110,175	$52.97
   8	Anduril	$109,677	$52.73	50
   9	Gulfstream Aerospace	$109,444	$52.62
   10	Liberty Partners	$109,317	$52.56
   11	Honeywell	$108,227	$52.03	59
   12	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America	$108,200	$52.02	6
   13	Parsons	$107,860	$51.86	30
   14	Driessen Aircraft Interior Systems, Inc.	$107,013	$51.45
   15	Jacobs Enterprises	$106,846	$51.37	217
   16	Advanced Technology	$106,845	$51.37
   17	(i)Structure	$106,845	$51.37
   18	Xwing	$106,845	$51.37
   19	Federal Aviation Administration	$106,845	$51.37
   20	Science	$106,845	$51.37	2

4. Writing an aerospace engineer job description

   A good aerospace engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an aerospace engineer job description:

   Aerospace engineer job description example

   As Paragon Space Development celebrates 29 years of providing award-winning life support and thermal control solutions for extreme environments, we've recognized that it is our employees that keep our business thriving. By any measure, Paragon is an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our goal is to hire the best and allow you to do the work that you enjoy!
   
   Paragon is developing exciting technologies, including spacesuits, lunar in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) systems, lunar dust mitigation, cryogenic fluid storage solutions, atmospheric revitalization for NASA's Lunar Gateway outpost, water recovery systems, and high-turndown morphing radiators. For more information about Paragon please visit our website ( )!
   Job Description: Aerospace Engineer for waste and water systems
   
   Paragon is looking for experienced engineers to develop new spaceflight hardware and systems for waste and water processing systems in spacecraft.
   
   The successful candidate will report to the Engineering Department and be responsible for the design, development, and test of waste and water processing components and systems. Every ounce of water is precious on a spacecraft and we are developing and building systems which recover water from humidity and recycling waste products. This candidate must provide or facilitate (with other experts) accurate modeling of their subsystem and related environments, oversee the design and manufacture of hardware, conduct test planning to verify performance, and develop the systems through flight qualification.
   
   This function is responsible for but not limited to the following:
   Communication of technical design to non-experts in written and verbal formats within strict deadlines. Experience with water processing systems Ideally, but not required, knowledge and experience with spacecraft, spacesuits, aircraft, military, or habitat environmental control and life support systems, subsystems, assemblies, and/or components. Knowledge and experience with the engineering product lifecycle, ranging from requirements development through design, manufacture, test, and operations. Ability to lead a small team in design, analysis, test and manufacturing with a focus on efficient execution Ideally, but not required, knowledge and experience in Crew Systems, Spacesuits, Atmosphere Revitalization, Regenerative Life Support, Water Processing or In Situ Resource Utilization. Knowledge and skills in applying engineering principles and procedures to develop practical and tailored engineering solutions. Skill in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Project) Ability to establish and maintain effective, positive work relationships; have creativity, flexibility and resourcefulness; have discriminating judgment, tact and sense of humor
   U.S. Citizenship status is required for this position.
   
   Required Experience
   Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Bio-mechanical, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent field and 5-8 years with system and/or hardware design and analysis experience Master's degree in Mechanical, Bio-mechanical, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent field and 4-6 years with system and/or hardware design and analysis experience PhD degree in Mechanical, Bio-mechanical, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent field and 0-2 years with system and /or hardware design experience in the aerospace industry.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right aerospace engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with aerospace engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit aerospace engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your aerospace engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit aerospace engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting aerospace engineers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new aerospace engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect aerospace engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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