What Does an Aerospace Engineer Do?
An aerospace engineer designs, analyzes, and tests aircraft, spacecraft, launch vehicles, and the structures and systems inside them. The field splits into aeronautical work (anything that flies in the atmosphere) and astronautical work (rockets, satellites, and spacecraft), and within each the job is usually design, analysis, test, or manufacturing support. Most work for airframe and engine manufacturers, defense contractors, space launch and satellite companies, airlines, and agencies such as NASA, the FAA, and the Department of Defense. Employers usually require a bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering and 2 or more years of experience.
Several engineering titles cover parts of this work. A mechanical engineer covers the same structures and thermal work on any product; an aerospace engineer adds aerodynamics, flight loads, and airworthiness certification. An electrical engineer designs the power, wiring, and control circuits on the vehicle. A systems engineer owns requirements, interfaces, and verification across the whole program without designing any one part of it. An avionics technician installs and troubleshoots the hardware the engineers specify and does no design.
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Hiring an Aerospace Engineer: What to Expect
Aerospace engineers come from the large primes and their suppliers, from the military, and directly from university programs with co-op experience. Screen for the specific discipline (stress and structures, aerodynamics, propulsion, guidance and control, or flight test), the tools the candidate used last (NASTRAN, ANSYS, CATIA, NX, MATLAB, or STK), and one project they took through a design review or a test campaign. Ask what failure mode they found and what the fix cost the program; an engineer who has lived through a redesign gives a specific answer, and one who has only done analysis gives a general one.
The most common mistake in aerospace engineer postings is listing every discipline on the program in one requirements section: stress analysis, CFD, avionics integration, and manufacturing support, plus a clearance, plus 10 or more years. The candidate who matches all of it does not exist at the posted salary. Name the discipline, the program phase (concept, detailed design, qualification, or sustaining), and the vehicle type, and move the rest to preferred qualifications.
A posting for this role should state whether the candidate needs an active security clearance on day 1 or whether you will sponsor one, and at what level, because the 2 candidate pools differ by a wide margin. It should also state whether the work falls under ITAR and requires U.S. person status, and leave the legal interpretation to your export compliance officer.
On aerospace and aviation searches, 4 Corner Resources typically submits qualified candidates within 2 to 5 days, clients interview an average of 1.4 candidates per hire, and we submit 1.75 candidates per hire.
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Aerospace Engineer Core Responsibilities
- Design aircraft or spacecraft structures, components, and subsystems in CATIA, NX, or SolidWorks to program requirements and weight targets
- Perform structural, thermal, or aerodynamic analysis using NASTRAN, ANSYS, or CFD tools and document margins of safety
- Develop and verify requirements with the systems engineering team and maintain traceability in DOORS or Jama
- Plan and support ground and flight tests, including instrumentation, test procedures, and data reduction
- Prepare and present design review packages (PDR, CDR) and respond to action items
- Support certification or qualification, including FAA 14 CFR Part 23 or 25 compliance reports or DoD qualification test plans
- Investigate in-service failures, write root cause reports, and release engineering changes
- Support manufacturing with producibility reviews, nonconformance dispositions, and material review board actions
- Manage configuration of drawings, models, and analysis reports in a PLM system such as Teamcenter or Windchill
- Work within ITAR, CMMC, and program security rules for controlled data handling and foreign-national access
- Use AI coding and writing assistants only in company-approved environments for controlled data, and check every output before it enters an analysis or report
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- Engineering fundamentals in statics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials
- Proficiency in a 3D CAD system (CATIA V5 or 3DEXPERIENCE, NX, or SolidWorks) and GD&T per ASME Y14.5
- Analysis experience with NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, or a CFD package, with hand calculations to back it up
- Working knowledge of aerospace materials, including aluminum alloys, titanium, and carbon fiber composites
- Familiarity with FAA airworthiness regulations or DoD standards such as MIL-STD-810, and with MMPDS material allowables
- Scripting in MATLAB or Python for data analysis and tool automation, including review and testing of code suggested by AI assistants
- Experience with configuration management and engineering change processes
Soft skills
- Discipline in documenting assumptions, since a reviewer will check every margin years later
- Comfort presenting and defending a design in front of a review board
- Patience with program schedules measured in years and approval chains measured in weeks
- Rigor about process in a field where a shortcut can ground a fleet
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, aeronautical, astronautical, or mechanical engineering from an ABET-accredited program
- Master’s degree preferred for analysis, propulsion, and guidance roles
Certifications
- None required. An Engineer in Training (EIT) certificate or PE license is uncommon in aerospace but welcome
- FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) authorization is a strong credential for certification roles
Preferred Qualifications
- Active DoD security clearance (Secret or higher) for defense programs, or eligibility to obtain one
- Experience on a program that reached first flight, launch, or type certification
- Composite structures design or repair experience
- Experience with model-based systems engineering in SysML using tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler
- Prior military aviation or space operations experience
- Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and FAA Part 21 production approval
- Experience reading and releasing model-based definition (MBD) data sets in place of 2D drawings
How Much Does an Aerospace Engineer Make?
Typical national range: $88,632 to $133,744, with a national average of $115,689. Salary data reviewed October 2026 by 4 Corner Resources.
Aerospace engineer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for an Aerospace Engineer is:
$115,689
Sample Job Description Templates for Aerospace Engineers
Aerospace Engineer (Aircraft Structures)
Position Overview
We are hiring an Aerospace Engineer to join our airframe structures group on a business jet program. You will design and analyze fuselage, wing, and empennage components, support static and fatigue testing, and prepare compliance documentation for FAA certification. The role reports to the Structures Lead and works daily with the stress, materials, and manufacturing engineering teams.
Responsibilities
- Design metallic and composite primary structure in CATIA V5 to weight and cost targets
- Perform static, fatigue, and damage tolerance analysis and document margins in stress reports
- Support structural test planning, witnessing, and correlation of test data to analysis
- Prepare certification compliance reports for 14 CFR Part 25 Subpart C
- Disposition nonconformances and support material review board decisions
- Release drawings and engineering changes through the PLM system
Requirements
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of aircraft structural design or stress analysis experience
- Proficiency in CATIA V5 and NASTRAN or Abaqus
- Working knowledge of MMPDS, CMH-17, and classical hand analysis methods
- Familiarity with FAA Part 25 structural certification requirements
- Python scripting for NASTRAN pre- and post-processing, with review of any code suggested by AI assistants
Soft skills
- Precise and thorough in written stress reports
- Collaborates with manufacturing on producibility without compromising margins
- Comfortable defending analysis assumptions to FAA designees
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering
Preferred qualifications
- Experience on a program that achieved type certification
- Composite repair or bonded joint analysis experience
Propulsion Engineer
Position Overview
Our launch vehicle team is seeking a Propulsion Engineer to design, analyze, and test liquid rocket engine components and feed systems. You will own component-level design from concept through hot-fire test, size valves, lines, and injectors, and support vehicle integration. The role reports to the Propulsion Lead and works with test operations, structures, and avionics engineers. U.S. person status is required under ITAR.
Responsibilities
- Design propellant feed system components, including valves, regulators, lines, and manifolds
- Perform fluid, thermal, and structural analysis of engine components and document results
- Develop test plans and procedures for component and hot-fire testing and support test execution
- Reduce and analyze test data and update models from results
- Define requirements and interfaces with the vehicle structures and avionics teams
- Support anomaly investigations and design corrective actions
- Design components for additive manufacturing, such as laser powder bed fusion, with the manufacturing team
Requirements
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of liquid propulsion, turbomachinery, or high-pressure fluid system experience
- Proficiency in fluid system modeling (EcosimPro, GFSSP, or similar) and CFD or FEA tools
- Experience with cryogenic or hypergolic propellants and their handling requirements
- CAD proficiency in NX or SolidWorks and GD&T
- Python scripting for test data reduction and analysis automation
Soft skills
- Hands-on in the test cell as well as at the desk
- Works at the pace of an iterative hardware program
- Careful about safety procedures around high-pressure and cryogenic systems
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering; master’s degree preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Experience taking an engine or component through a full qualification campaign
- Additive manufacturing design experience for engine components
Flight Test Engineer
Position Overview
We are hiring a Flight Test Engineer to plan, conduct, and report on flight test programs for our aircraft development and certification efforts. You will write test plans and test cards, define instrumentation requirements, support flights from the control room or the aircraft, and analyze results against predictions. The role reports to the Director of Flight Test and works with test pilots, instrumentation technicians, and the design engineering teams.
Responsibilities
- Write flight test plans, test cards, and safety reviews for development and certification flights
- Define instrumentation and data acquisition requirements and verify installed systems
- Monitor real-time telemetry and support test conduct from the control room or in the aircraft
- Reduce and analyze flight data in MATLAB or Python and compare results to predictions
- Maintain automated scripts that process telemetry and flag limit exceedances for engineer review
- Write flight test reports and certification compliance reports
- Coordinate with the FAA or program customer on test witnessing and conformity
Requirements
Hard skills
- 4 or more years of flight test or aircraft performance and flying qualities experience
- Strong background in aircraft performance, stability and control, and flight dynamics
- Proficiency in MATLAB or Python for data analysis and plotting
- Working knowledge of FAA Part 23 or Part 25 flight test requirements and AC 23-8 or AC 25-7
Soft skills
- Calm and methodical during test execution
- Communicates clearly with pilots and engineers across the control room
- Comfortable with irregular hours and travel to remote test sites
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related field
Certifications
- Graduate of a flight test school (USAF TPS, USNTPS, NTPS, or ETPS) preferred; private pilot certificate a plus
Manufacturing and Sustaining Aerospace Engineer
Position Overview
We are seeking an Aerospace Engineer to support production and in-service fleet issues for our aircraft components business. You will disposition nonconformances, develop repair schemes, support root cause investigations on field returns, and release engineering changes that improve producibility and reliability. The role reports to the Sustaining Engineering Manager and works daily with production, quality, and customer support.
Responsibilities
- Disposition nonconforming parts through the material review board and document engineering justification
- Develop and approve repair schemes and deviations for production and field units
- Lead root cause and corrective action investigations on customer returns and field failures
- Release engineering change orders for producibility, cost, and obsolescence
- Support first article inspections and production readiness reviews
- Maintain drawings, specifications, and technical data within AS9100 and configuration control requirements
- Track parts obsolescence and counterfeit part risks under AS5553 and AS6174
Requirements
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of aerospace manufacturing, sustaining, or liaison engineering experience
- Proficiency in CAD (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) and reading drawings to ASME Y14.5
- Ability to read model-based definition (MBD) data sets as well as 2D drawings
- Working knowledge of aerospace materials, processes, and special process specifications
- Experience with MRB, 8D or similar problem-solving methods, and change control
Soft skills
- Decisive on the shop floor when production is waiting on a disposition
- Documents dispositions so an auditor can follow the reasoning
- Works well with inspectors, machinists, and customer representatives
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering
Certifications
- AS9100 internal auditor training or Six Sigma Green Belt preferred
Preferred qualifications
- FAA Part 21 or DoD production program experience
- Experience with castings, forgings, or composite part manufacturing