Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 11,300 people employed as aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians in the United States. The median annual salary is $73,580. Entry level employees earn approximately $47,040 per year and senior employees earn approximately $103,260 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
• Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
• Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results.
• Adjust, repair, or replace faulty components of test setups and equipment.
• Fabricate and install parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments.
• Finish vehicle instrumentation and deinstrumentation.
• Construct and maintain test facilities for aircraft parts and systems, according to specifications.
• Design electrical and mechanical systems for avionic instrumentation applications.
• Exchange cooling system components in various vehicles.
• Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
• Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis.
• Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms.

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