Aerospace Engineers

design equipment system aerospace investigative technology environmental regulation computer quality standard customer requirement

Avionics Engineer, Design Engineer, Flight Test Engineer, Special Mission Engineer

What they do:
Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.
On the job, you would:
  • Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
  • Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology

  • product and service development
  • design

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • physics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products

Skills

Basic Skills

  • reading work related information
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it

Abilities

Verbal

  • read and understand what is written
  • communicate by speaking

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information

Math

  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Innovation
  • Achievement Orientation
  • Intellectual Curiosity
  • Cautiousness
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software

  • The MathWorks MATLAB Hot Technology In Demand
  • Wolfram Research Mathematica

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology In Demand

Development environment software

  • C Hot Technology In Demand
  • Microsoft Visual Studio Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 4)
bachelor's degree or
associate's degree or other 2-year degree
usually needed

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about Aerospace Engineers.