What does an aerospace engineer do?
An aerospace engineer specializes in designing, maintaining, and repairing aircraft and spacecraft. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting tests and procedures to identify faults and inconsistencies, lead production processes, performing repairs and improvements, designing systems, and ensuring that all equipment complies with the safety regulations and standards. They are also responsible for producing technical materials such as reports, proposals, and manuals. Furthermore, there are instances where they must set the policies and standards on the equipment they are developing while utilizing their expertise in mathematics, engineering, and sciences.
Aerospace engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real aerospace engineer resumes:
- 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.
- Design research, synthesis, brainstorming, and prototyping
- Work with RF issues utilizing RF test instrumentation.
- Image assets with windows XP/Vista through secure network.
- Perform CATIA model revisions and create new component designs.
- Design Solidworks parameterization tool to wind tunnel sections for use in CFD analysis.
- Use of instrumentation hardware to analyze and solve complex sensors and/or RF hardware issues.
- Provide test team with MATLAB presentations covering cost efficient techniques for parsing large data sets.
- Introduce an MRB process to extend the life of components and lower engine operating costs.
- Review VOA and SVOA data packages for technical accuracy and quality assurance (QA).
Aerospace engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Aerospace Engineers are proficient in C++, DOD, and FAA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Business skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Aerospace Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- C++, 15%
Developed distributed simulations between SUN and SGI workstations using Sockets in a C++ and FORTRAN (with C++ wrapper) environment.
- DOD, 5%
Created numerous SBIR/STTR proposals for NASA and DOD.
- FAA, 5%
Prepared detail certification documentation for the FAA.
- Systems Engineering, 4%
Served as Systems Engineer in the Comanche Systems Engineering Office.
- Solidworks, 4%
Implemented SolidWorks 2008 to model 3D aircraft parts for CNC laser cutting from balsa & aircraft ply.
- NASA, 4%
Completed Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review with complete concurrence from NASA Engineering.
Common skills that an aerospace engineer uses to do their job include "c++," "dod," and "faa." You can find details on the most important aerospace engineer responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for an aerospace engineer to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "aerospace engineers must be able to evaluate project design elements and propose improvements, if necessary." Additionally, an aerospace engineer resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "reinvigorated a derelict data collection system on the airframe to successfully mitigate funding and planning shortfalls in program management. "
Business skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling aerospace engineer duties is business skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "meeting federal standards in aerospace engineering requires business knowledge, including commercial law." According to an aerospace engineer resume, here's how aerospace engineers can utilize business skills in their job responsibilities: "identify work for others prospects within dod and assist business development in pursuit of outside work. "
Math skills. For certain aerospace engineer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "math skills." The day-to-day duties of an aerospace engineer rely on this skill, as "aerospace engineers use calculus, trigonometry, and other math in their analysis, design, and troubleshooting work." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what aerospace engineers do: "executed data reduction and detailed quantitative analysis of a water removal system including mapped performance from 1 to 32 units. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for an aerospace engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what aerospace engineers relies on this skill, since "aerospace engineers upgrade designs and troubleshoot problems to improve aircraft, such as for increased fuel efficiency or safety." How this skill relates to aerospace engineer duties can be seen in an example from an aerospace engineer resume snippet: "utilize psp test data and cfd solutions to create databases for the structural engineers. "
The three companies that hire the most aerospace engineers are:
- Guidehouse15 aerospace engineers jobs
- SAIC9 aerospace engineers jobs
- Rincon Research8 aerospace engineers jobs
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Compare different aerospace engineers
Aerospace engineer vs. Senior structural designer
A senior structural designer designs structures such as bridges, dams, parks, or telecommunication structures. They create designs, document them, and analyze structural functionality. Frequently, they must attend meetings and seminars to distribute designs to junior structural designers. They also perform peer reviews and write reports.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between aerospace engineers and senior structural designer. For instance, aerospace engineer responsibilities require skills such as "c++," "dod," "faa," and "systems engineering." Whereas a senior structural designer is skilled in "autocad," "revit," "structural design," and "navisworks." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Senior structural designers earn the highest salaries when working in the utilities industry, with an average yearly salary of $101,786. On the other hand, aerospace engineers are paid more in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $109,005.The education levels that senior structural designers earn slightly differ from aerospace engineers. In particular, senior structural designers are 14.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an aerospace engineer. Additionally, they're 2.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Aerospace engineer vs. 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. They primarily study design requirements for the overall strength of a craft. They analyze the stress data of structural components and prepare mathematical models of issues.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, aerospace engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "c++," "dod," "systems engineering," and "program management." Meanwhile, a stress analyst has duties that require skills in areas such as "abaqus," "airframe," "ansys," and "analysis tools." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Stress analysts earn a lower average salary than aerospace engineers. But stress analysts earn the highest pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $87,231. Additionally, aerospace engineers earn the highest salaries in the manufacturing with average pay of $109,005 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Stress analysts tend to reach similar levels of education than aerospace engineers. In fact, they're 4.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Aerospace engineer vs. Master lay out specialist
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. They record their observations and discoveries, run multiple diagnostic tests on the outputs to ensure its efficiency and optimal performance to support industrial operations. An engineering scientist also works closely within a group of engineering and designs team to implement procedures that would support findings from its conceptualization to final deliverables.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an aerospace engineer is likely to be skilled in "c++," "faa," "systems engineering," and "solidworks," while a typical master lay out specialist is skilled in "customer service," "cloud," "crm," and "business development."
Master lay out specialists earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $128,240. Aerospace engineers earn the highest pay from the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $109,005.When it comes to education, master lay out specialists tend to earn higher degree levels compared to aerospace engineers. In fact, they're 5.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Aerospace engineer vs. Engineering scientist
Even though a few skill sets overlap between aerospace engineers and engineering scientists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an aerospace engineer might have more use for skills like "systems engineering," "solidworks," "program management," and "structural analysis." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of engineering scientists require skills like "python," "rf," "test results," and "powerpoint. "
In general, engineering scientists earn the most working in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $95,339. The highest-paying industry for an aerospace engineer is the manufacturing industry.In general, engineering scientists hold similar degree levels compared to aerospace engineers. Engineering scientists are 1.2% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of aerospace engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
