Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technician Careers
Aerospace engineering and operations technicians are responsible for ensuring that the equipment used to design, test, and build all types of aircraft and spacecraft is functional and properly maintained.
People in this field must be able to work with the actual physical equipment and be comfortable manipulating computer software. As technology advances, these professionals are expected to work more and more with computer simulation and modeling software that help them find the answers to real-world issues in the digital realm.
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technician Career Snapshot
Depending on their specific roles, aerospace engineering and operations technicians may perform their work in an office, a laboratory, or a manufacturing environment. While it is possible that people in this field may have to occasionally deal with hazardous materials, that is typically not an everyday occurrence and following the appropriate safety procedures usually prevents any harm from befalling them.
Further details on a career as a aerospace engineer and operations technician are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the mean annual salary for aerospace engineering and operations technicians.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.
aerospace engineering and operations technician jobs in 2014.
Education
An associate’s degree in engineering technology is the standard degree required by the majority of employers in this industry. It is possible for those who wish to enter this field to earn a certification or even a diploma from certain vocational schools, however. It should be noted that, depending on the project an aerospace engineer is working on, he or she may also be require to gain a certain level of security clearance.
Job Duties
The basic day-to-day job duties that someone in this field is expected to complete include maintaining and operating the equipment used to find possible problems in certain aircraft. Aerospace engineers and operations technicians must also record data, converse with others regarding any issues discovered, and make necessary repairs to any faulty equipment.
Salaries
The median salary across all experience levels, as of May 2015 according to the BLS.gov, was $66,180. Beginning aerospace engineers and operations technicians can expect to earn a very respectable starting salary of around $39,560 while the highest earners in the field rake in $99,090. Having special security clearance could lead to higher pay.
Job Outlook
The growth of the aerospace engineering and operations technicians field is expected to be around 4% through the year 2024. While this is a bit slower than the job outlook for the average profession in the U.S., you could improve your chances of securing one of the new positions by earning your security clearance since that would make you available for a wider range of projects.
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technician Skills & Traits
| Aerospace Technician Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Aerospace Technicians: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Active Listening • Critical Thinking • Operation Monitoring • Speaking • Complex Problem Solving | • Problem Sensitivity • Written Comprehension • Oral Comprehension • Oral Expression • Deductive Reasoning | • Calipers • Punches or nail sets or drifts • Taps • Vibration testers • Welder torch | • Updating Relevant Knowledge • Analyzing Data • Getting Information • Documenting Information • Estimating Quantifiable Characteristics |
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