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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Aircraft Engineer

💰 $55,000 - $130,000

EngineeringAerospaceMaintenanceAviation

🎯 Role Definition

The Aircraft Engineer is responsible for ensuring the airworthiness, reliability and regulatory compliance of commercial and/or military aircraft through maintenance planning, inspections, troubleshooting, repair and certification. This role combines hands-on technical expertise in airframe, powerplant and avionics systems with regulatory knowledge (FAA/EASA/CASA), maintenance data management (CMMS), quality control and continuous improvement to support safe, on-time operations. Ideal candidates have formal aeronautical training, relevant licenses or certifications, strong problem-solving skills and demonstrated experience in line and base maintenance or MRO environments.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Aircraft Maintenance Technician / Licensed AME (apprentice or junior level)
  • Avionics Technician or Powerplant Technician transitioning to engineering
  • Aeronautical or Aerospace Engineering graduate with internship/MRO experience

Advancement To:

  • Senior Aircraft Engineer / Lead Engineer
  • Maintenance Planning Engineer / Reliability Engineer
  • Maintenance Manager / Base Maintenance Manager
  • Continuing to roles like Director of Maintenance, Airworthiness Manager, or Engineering Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Certification Engineer / Airworthiness Certification Specialist
  • Component Repair and Overhaul Engineer
  • MRO Quality Assurance or Safety Management System (SMS) Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Plan, coordinate and execute scheduled and unscheduled maintenance tasks (A/B/C/D checks and heavy maintenance events), ensuring all work conforms to manufacturer manuals, company procedures and applicable aviation authority regulations (FAA, EASA, CASA).
  • Conduct detailed aircraft inspections, troubleshooting and fault diagnosis across airframe, propulsion, landing gear, flight controls, hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical/avionics systems; generate root-cause analyses and corrective action plans.
  • Authorize, sign-off and certify maintenance releases and airworthiness documentation in accordance with licensure and regulatory requirements; maintain accurate logbooks and electronic maintenance records.
  • Develop, review and update structural repair schemes and engineering task cards for damage assessments, temporary repairs and permanent structural reinstatement using approved structural repair manuals and stress reports.
  • Perform component removal, teardown inspection and coordination of repairs or replacement with internal workshops and external vendors; ensure timely turnaround and traceability of parts and components.
  • Oversee bench and line troubleshooting, engine runs, ground tests and functional tests of systems and components; witness and document test results and certify return-to-service.
  • Manage obsolescence, spares forecasting and technical procurement support by liaising with supply chain to secure airworthy replacement parts, consumables and tooling to minimize AOG impact.
  • Maintain compliance with airworthiness directives (ADs), service bulletins (SBs), service letters and continuing airworthiness instructions; assess applicability and implement modifications or inspections as required.
  • Support in-service reliability programs, analyze reliability data, failure trends and maintenance metrics (MTBUR, MTBF), and recommend improvements to maintenance practices and scheduled intervals.
  • Draft and update engineering documentation including non-routine engineering orders, work packages, maintenance procedure revisions and engineering approvals for deviations or repairs.
  • Lead technical investigations into defects, in-service events and incidents; coordinate with safety, quality and regulatory teams to provide comprehensive investigative reports and corrective/preventive actions.
  • Implement and enforce quality control standards during maintenance activities, including supervising contractors and subcontractors to ensure third-party work meets company and regulatory expectations.
  • Perform specialized repairs involving composite materials, bonded repairs, corrosion control and metal fatigue mitigation using approved methods and materials, and document compliance.
  • Support modification programs and retrofit installations (avionics upgrades, cabin reconfigurations, performance enhancements), ensuring design compatibility, load considerations and certification pathways are documented.
  • Provide field engineering and AOG support, including rapid assessment, temporary repairs and coordination of resources for aircraft on ground recoveries, minimizing operational disruption.
  • Liaise with regulatory authorities, OEM technical representatives and external certification bodies during inspections, audits and approvals to secure necessary certifications and approvals.
  • Mentor and train junior engineers, technicians and apprentices; develop competency matrices, deliver technical training and ensure team adherence to safety and engineering standards.
  • Maintain and calibrate specialized maintenance tooling, test equipment and ground support equipment; coordinate calibration schedules and ensure tools are airworthy and traceable.
  • Participate in continuous improvement initiatives, Lean/MES/MRO digital transformation projects, and the integration of predictive maintenance technologies (CBM, sensor analytics).
  • Ensure maintenance activities comply with company Safety Management System (SMS), environmental policies and hazardous material handling procedures; report hazards, near-misses and non-conformances.
  • Prepare and present technical reports, certification packages and maintenance summaries for audit, lease return and pre-delivery inspections, ensuring transparency and regulatory compliance.
  • Collaborate with flight operations, dispatch and engineering planning to schedule maintenance windows, manage AOG priorities and optimize aircraft utilization and turnaround times.
  • Evaluate and approve engineering deviation requests for planned maintenance or operational contingencies, clearly recording risk assessments, mitigations and timelines for rectification.

Secondary Functions

  • Support continuous improvement projects in maintenance workflow, digitization of records and implementation of CMMS/MRO systems (e.g., AMOS, TRAX, Ramco) to increase efficiency and data accuracy.
  • Contribute to safety and quality audits, internal inspections and readiness reviews to maintain certifications and minimize regulatory findings.
  • Assist procurement and vendor management teams by qualifying suppliers, reviewing vendor repair data and ensuring conformity to OEM and regulatory standards.
  • Provide technical input into budgeting, labor forecasting and maintenance planning cycles to align engineering workpacks with financial targets.
  • Act as a subject matter expert for cross-functional teams during new aircraft introductions, retrofit programs and regulatory change implementations.
  • Participate in on-call rotation and emergency response teams to provide technical decisions and approvals outside normal business hours when required.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) / Certificate of Airworthiness / FAA A&P or EASA Part-66 Category B1/B2 or equivalent (specify applicable licensing authority).
  • Deep knowledge of aircraft systems: airframe structures, reciprocating and turbine engines, landing gear, hydraulics, pneumatics, flight controls, environmental control systems and electrical/avionics suites.
  • Experience with structural repair methods, composite repair techniques, bonding, riveting and corrosion prevention procedures.
  • Proficiency in non-destructive testing (NDT) methods: eddy current, ultrasonic testing, dye penetrant and magnetic particle inspection.
  • Competence with maintenance data systems and MRO software (AMOS, TRAX, Ramco, IFS) and electronic technical publications (eTechPub, AeroDocs).
  • Ability to interpret engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, stress reports, structural repair manuals (SRMs), Illustrated Parts Catalogs (IPCs) and maintenance planning documents.
  • Engine run, ground test and rigging experience; ability to conduct functional tests and interpret test instrumentation data.
  • Experience with certification processes, issuance of maintenance release paperwork, and handling airworthiness directives (ADs) and service bulletins (SBs).
  • Familiarity with reliability programs, condition-based maintenance (CBM) and predictive maintenance tools, and basic data analysis for maintenance trends.
  • Proficiency in CAD or engineering tools (AutoCAD, CATIA or equivalent) for simple drafting, modification illustrations and pack preparations.
  • Knowledge of aviation safety systems and compliance with Safety Management Systems (SMS), human factors and environmental regulations.
  • Strong documentation skills: generating engineering orders, maintenance reports, deviation requests and technical justification packages.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking with attention to technical detail.
  • Clear verbal and written communication for interacting with regulators, OEMs, suppliers and cross-functional teams.
  • Strong organizational and prioritization skills under time pressure (AOG and turnaround scenarios).
  • Leadership and mentoring ability to guide technicians and junior engineers, and to manage subcontractor teams.
  • Collaborative team player who can work across maintenance, operations, quality and supply chain stakeholders.
  • Commitment to safety culture, continuous learning and regulatory compliance.
  • Adaptability and resilience in dynamic operational environments with frequent schedule changes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline OR vocational qualification combined with an approved AME/technician license.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering plus recognized maintenance licensure (FAA A&P, EASA Part-66 B1/B2, or country equivalent).
  • Additional certifications in NDT, composite repair, structural testing or avionics systems.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Aerospace / Aeronautical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Avionics / Electrical Engineering
  • Aircraft Maintenance Technology
  • Materials Science (composites and metallurgy)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–10 years of progressive experience in aircraft maintenance engineering, combining line maintenance, base maintenance or MRO heavy checks.

Preferred: 5+ years of hands-on aircraft engineering experience with documented responsibilities for maintenance certification, structural repairs, AD/SB implementations, and familiarity with a major aircraft family (e.g., Airbus A320 family, A330, A350; Boeing 737/747/777/787; regional jets or turboprops as applicable).

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