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Structural test engineer vs airframe design engineer

The differences between structural test engineers and airframe design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a structural test engineer and an airframe design engineer. Additionally, a structural test engineer has an average salary of $86,757, which is higher than the $77,583 average annual salary of an airframe design engineer.

The top three skills for a structural test engineer include CAD, aerospace and test data. The most important skills for an airframe design engineer are CAD, GD, and structural design.

Structural test engineer vs airframe design engineer overview

Structural Test EngineerAirframe Design Engineer
Yearly salary$86,757$77,583
Hourly rate$41.71$37.30
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs29,66240,330
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 83%Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Structural test engineer vs airframe design engineer salary

Structural test engineers and airframe design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Structural Test EngineerAirframe Design Engineer
Average salary$86,757$77,583
Salary rangeBetween $58,000 And $129,000Between $55,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between structural test engineer and airframe design engineer education

There are a few differences between a structural test engineer and an airframe design engineer in terms of educational background:

Structural Test EngineerAirframe Design Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 83%Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringAerospace Engineering
Most common collegeGeorgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of Technology

Structural test engineer vs airframe design engineer demographics

Here are the differences between structural test engineers' and airframe design engineers' demographics:

Structural Test EngineerAirframe Design Engineer
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 91.5% Female, 8.5%Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 10.9% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 12.1% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between structural test engineer and airframe design engineer duties and responsibilities

Structural test engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
  • Collaborate with frequency managers, FCC, FAA, and local spectrum authorities to plan frequency assignments.
  • Import the model to perform simulation in ANSYS to procure the optimum design of a typical high mach air-frame structure.
  • Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical, aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements and communicate feed back to design engineers.
  • Utilize rapid prototyping as proof of concepts for multiple new designs.
  • Create PERL scripts to generate flying probe test programs from FabMaster outputs, saving licensing fees for commercial test development products.
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Airframe design engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage automation projects including purchasing, scheduling fabrication and assembly, debugging, and delivery to customer.
  • Design new S76D lightning strike protection to meet FAA certification requirements.
  • Develop layouts for fuselage doors and skin reinforcements around the doors, door seals, and door mechanism structures using CATIA.
  • Design fuselage composite core details utilizing FIBERSIM.
  • Evaluate existing documents and execute engineering computations for rehabilitation projects.
  • Perform structural calculations, evaluations and retrofit alternatives for assign projects.
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Structural test engineer vs airframe design engineer skills

Common structural test engineer skills
  • CAD, 14%
  • Aerospace, 13%
  • Test Data, 9%
  • CATIA, 8%
  • Data Acquisition Systems, 7%
  • Test Procedures, 6%
Common airframe design engineer skills
  • CAD, 16%
  • GD, 14%
  • Structural Design, 12%
  • Enovia, 10%
  • Catia V5, 9%
  • New Design, 8%

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