Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Aerospace Engineer

🎯 Role Definition

Aerospace Engineers design, analyze, test, and certify airborne systems and subsystems (aircraft, spacecraft, unmanned systems, propulsion, guidance and control, and avionics). This role blends Systems Engineering, mechanical/structural design, aerodynamics, propulsion, and avionics integration with hands-on test, validation, and manufacturing support. The ideal candidate demonstrates deep technical experience with CAD and simulation tools, practical flight test and lab verification skills, and a strong command of regulatory and certification processes (FAA/EASA, DO-178C/DO-254 where applicable). This document outlines recruiter-ready responsibilities and skills optimized for sourcing, ATS and LLM consumption.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Mechanical / Aerospace Engineer (0–3 years) with CAD and analysis exposure
Avionics/Test Technician promoted into engineering roles
Recent graduate (BSc/MSc) with internship experience in aerospace design or flight test

Advancement To:

Senior Aerospace Engineer (Lead Designer / Lead Systems Engineer)
Principal Engineer or Subject Matter Expert (Aerodynamics, Structures, Propulsion)
Engineering Manager / Program Manager
Director of Engineering or Chief Engineer for a vehicle program

Lateral Moves:

Systems Engineer (model-based systems engineering/requirements lead)
Flight Test Engineer or Test Program Manager
Manufacturing/Production Engineer (DFM/DFMA lead)
Certification/Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead conceptual and detailed design of aircraft or spacecraft subsystems (airframe, wing, empennage, propulsion mounts, landing gear, control surfaces) using CAD (CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE, Siemens NX, SolidWorks), translating system requirements into manufacturable 3D models, assembly drawings, and comprehensive bill of materials while applying GD&T and DFM principles.
Perform structural sizing, static and fatigue analysis for metallic and composite components using FEA tools (NASTRAN, ANSYS), developing load cases, margin of safety calculations, and providing design iterations to meet certification and life requirements.
Execute aerodynamic assessments using CFD (ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM) to support configuration trade studies, compute performance metrics (lift, drag, moments), and optimize external shapes and inlet/exhaust systems for cruise, takeoff and high-angle-of-attack regimes.
Develop propulsion integration designs: engine/powerplant interfaces, nacelle/ducting layout, thrust line alignment, mounting structure, and thermal management; coordinate with vendors for engine installation, ground testing and flight qualification.
Define and manage system-level requirements using requirements management tools (IBM DOORS, Jama, Polarion), maintain traceability from system requirements through design, analysis, verification test plans, and certification artifacts.
Architect avionics integration and harness routing: define electrical interface control documents (ICDs), create harness layouts, specify connectors and shielding, and collaborate with avionics engineers to ensure EMC/EMI compliance and weight optimization.
Prepare and lead verification & validation activities: develop test plans, procedures and acceptance criteria for unit-level, subsystem, and system-level tests; coordinate structural tests (static/fatigue), environmental qualification (vibration, thermal, humidity), and functional tests.
Plan and execute flight test campaigns: define objectives, design instrumentation suites, support ground checkout, monitor telemetry, analyze flight data, produce flight test reports and recommend design changes based on flight envelope findings.
Author and review engineering drawings, assembly and installation instructions, technical reports, and certification submittals, ensuring conformance to company standards and regulatory requirements (FAA/EASA/Transport Canada).
Lead root cause investigations and corrective action for in-service anomalies: conduct failure analysis, coordinate non-conformance reports (NCR), implement design or process corrective actions, and track closure through the CAPA system.
Conduct system integration and trade studies applying MBSE and simulation frameworks (Simulink, Capella) to evaluate architectures, allocate requirements, and quantify impacts on mass, performance, and safety.
Perform thermal analysis and thermal protection system design for avionics and propulsion components, include CFD-based thermal loads, conduction/radiation modeling, and selection of insulation/heat-sink strategies.
Design and qualify composite structures: select resin/fiber systems, develop layups and laminate schedules, collaborate with manufacturing for tooling and cure cycles, and verify with test coupons and full-scale coupon/structure tests.
Collaborate with supply chain and manufacturing teams to define producibility, tooling, inspection criteria, and first article inspections; support production ramp-up and continuous improvement programs to reduce scrap, rework, and cost.
Manage project schedules, technical budgets, and resource allocation for engineering tasks; deliver technical milestones and integrate multi-disciplinary inputs on medium-to-large scale aircraft or spacecraft programs.
Ensure compliance with certification standards and guidance (CS-23/CS-25/14 CFR Part 23/Part 25, DO-178C for software, DO-254 for complex electronic hardware), preparing certification plans and supporting audits with authorities.
Mentor junior engineers and interdisciplinary team members: review designs, provide technical training, set engineering best practices, and support career development through structured feedback and peer reviews.
Generate and maintain hazard analyses, safety assessments (FMEA, FHA, PSSA), and mitigation plans; ensure designs meet functional safety and fail-safe/fail-operational architecture requirements for the vehicle.
Coordinate cross-functional technical reviews (Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, Production Readiness Review), prepare review materials, present trade-offs and decisions, and capture action items to closure.
Develop test rigs, fixtures and instrumentation for ground testing, including strain gauges, load cells, accelerometers, telemetry systems and data acquisition chains; verify sensor calibration and data integrity.
Oversee integration and testing of flight control systems and autopilot functions, collaborate with control systems engineers to validate control laws, stability margins, and perform hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL) tests.
Evaluate and select materials, coatings and fasteners to meet structural, thermal and corrosion resistance requirements while balancing mass and cost targets; maintain materials database and supplier qualifications.
Support reliability, maintainability and safety analyses (RAMS); input findings into maintenance planning, inspection intervals and sustainment strategies for product lifecycle support.
Interface with customers, regulatory authorities and external test facilities to schedule tests, demonstrate compliance, and respond to technical inquiries during proposals and post-delivery support.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or DFx methodologies to improve design robustness, reduce weight, lower assembly time and optimize overall system performance.

Secondary Functions

Assist program managers with technical proposals, work breakdown structures and estimating engineering hours for new programs and RFP responses.
Provide hands-on support in laboratory set-ups, instrumentation troubleshooting and Data Acquisition (DAQ) event capture during integration and certification testing.
Support supplier technical reviews and resolution of supplier-origin non-conformances; establish inspection criteria and acceptance tests for incoming hardware.
Participate in reliability growth testing, field returns analysis and in-service technical support, providing engineering fixes and documentation updates as required.
Contribute to corporate intellectual property generation by documenting inventions, novel designs and methods for patents or proprietary processes.
Maintain engineering documentation repositories, revision control, and configuration management artifacts to support traceability and audit readiness.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Aircraft/Space Systems Design — Proven ability to design structural and mechanical subsystems for aircraft or spacecraft, including full lifecycle documentation from requirements through certification-ready drawings.
CAD Proficiency (CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE, Siemens NX, SolidWorks) — Expert-level modeling, assemblies, kinematic mechanisms and GD&T application for production-ready designs.
Finite Element Analysis (NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus) — Structural stress, modal, buckling and fatigue analysis with interpretation of results and provision of design recommendations.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+) — Aerodynamic simulations, mesh generation, turbulence modeling and post-processing for performance and heat transfer evaluations.
MATLAB / Simulink & Control System Tools — Model-based design, flight dynamics simulation, control law development and coupling with HIL/SIL environments.
Requirements & Model-Based Systems Engineering (IBM DOORS, Jama, Capella) — Requirements capture, traceability matrix development, and MBSE tooling to manage complex system interactions.
Certification Standards Knowledge — Practical experience with airworthiness regulations such as 14 CFR Part 23/25, CS-23/CS-25, DO-178C, DO-254, and familiarity with compliance demonstration methods.
Test & Instrumentation (DAQ, telemetry, strain gauges) — Test plan creation, instrumentation selection, data acquisition configuration and post-test analysis for structural and flight test.
Composite Materials & Manufacturing — Composite layup design, cure schedules, NDT techniques (ultrasonic, X-ray), and environmental durability considerations.
Electrical/Avionics Integration — Understanding of harness routing, power distribution, ICDs, and EMC/EMI mitigation strategies in avionic environments.
Thermal Analysis & Heat Transfer — Conduction/convection/radiation modeling, thermal protection concepts and active/passive cooling design for avionics and propulsion components.
Materials Selection & Corrosion Control — Metallurgy basics, coatings, fastener selection, and qualification for aerospace environments.
Software Tools for V&V — Familiarity with DO-178C toolchains, static analysis, unit testing frameworks, and integration verification practices.
Manufacturing & DFM Knowledge — Experience translating designs for producibility, tolerance stack-up, fixturing, and production quality controls.

Soft Skills

Strong verbal and written communication — produce clear technical reports, present at design reviews, and communicate trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders.
Cross-functional collaboration — work effectively with systems, avionics, manufacturing, suppliers and certification teams to deliver integrated solutions.
Analytical problem solving — structured approach to root cause analysis, risk assessment and corrective action implementation.
Project and time management — prioritize tasks, manage milestones, and deliver technical scope on schedule.
Attention to detail and quality orientation — maintain high standards for documentation, test artifacts and parts acceptance.
Adaptability and learning agility — quickly assimilate new tools, regulations and technologies in a fast-paced program environment.
Leadership and mentorship — coach junior engineers, lead technical workstreams and facilitate consensus-driven decisions.
Safety and risk mindset — apply hazard analysis and safety engineering principles consistently across design and testing phases.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Avionics, or closely related engineering discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master of Science (MSc) or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautics, Propulsion, Structural Mechanics, or Systems Engineering preferred for senior or specialist roles.
Additional certifications: Professional Engineer (PE), Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP), or relevant DO-178C/DO-254 training.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Aeronautical Engineering
Systems Engineering
Materials Science / Composites Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–10+ years depending on level (Entry: 0–3 years, Mid: 3–7 years, Senior: 7+ years)

Preferred:

5+ years experience designing and certifying aerospace structures/systems with direct involvement in structural analysis, flight test, avionics integration or propulsion integration.
Demonstrated history of supporting regulatory certification (FAA, EASA) and preparing compliance documentation.
Experience with multidisciplinary teams, supplier management, and production ramp phases for aircraft or launch/space vehicles.