Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Engine Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Engine Supervisor leads and manages shop-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities for commercial and/or military turbine engines. This role is accountable for supervising engine technicians, enforcing regulatory compliance (FAA/EASA/CAA), ensuring quality control of engine repairs and tear-downs, coordinating engine test cell runs, liaising with OEMs and customers, managing parts and tooling, and driving continuous improvement in engine shop throughput, safety, and cost control. The Jet Engine Supervisor is a hands-on leader who balances technical expertise with people management to deliver on-time, airworthy engines while maintaining regulatory and company quality standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

A&P Mechanic / Certificated Airframe & Powerplant Technician with turbine engine experience
Engine Technician / Engine Mechanic working in an MRO or airline maintenance environment
Lead Engine Technician or Senior Field Service Engineer with engine teardown/overhaul experience

Advancement To:

Engine Shop Manager / Depot Manager
Maintenance Manager / Director of Maintenance (Airlines or MRO)
Operations Manager for Engine Overhaul or Component Repair
Engineering Manager / Technical Services Manager (OEM or MRO)

Lateral Moves:

Quality Assurance Manager (Aerospace)
Field Service Supervisor / Senior Flightline Support Lead
Technical Trainer or Instructional Lead for engine maintenance programs

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Supervise and coordinate day-to-day jet engine maintenance, overhaul, and test cell operations to ensure engines are inspected, disassembled, repaired, reassembled, and tested in accordance with OEM manuals, service bulletins, and regulatory requirements.
Lead a team of engine technicians, assign work cards, prioritize workloads, monitor productivity, and ensure all mechanics adhere to torque, clearance, and assembly specifications during engine builds and repairs.
Maintain strict compliance with FAA, EASA, and local aviation authority regulations for engine maintenance, airworthiness directives, and record-keeping; prepare and present documentation for regulatory audits and certifications.
Oversee and validate technical troubleshooting and fault isolation activities on gas turbine engines, including FADEC diagnostics, fuel system troubleshooting, compressor/turbine hot-section inspections, and accessory drive repairs.
Manage engine test cell scheduling and operations, including test planning, run sheets, safety briefings, instrumentation setup, vibration analysis, and post-run performance data review to validate engine repairs and ensure airworthiness.
Conduct and supervise borescope inspections, NDT (eddy current, fluorescent penetrant, ultrasonic) processes, and metallurgical checks; coordinate with NDT technicians and labs to identify cracking, erosion, or foreign object damage (FOD).
Control engine teardown and inspection workflows, ensuring correct discrepancy capture, root cause analysis, non-conforming part disposition, and implementation of corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Serve as primary point of contact for customer communication regarding engine status, technical findings, estimated time to repair (ETR), cost impacts, and delivery commitments to maintain strong customer relationships.
Implement and enforce safety programs in the engine shop, including OSHA/EHS requirements, lockout/tagout, hazardous materials handling, and confined-space procedures during engine disassembly and test cell work.
Manage inventory of critical spares, consumables, tooling, and test equipment for engine maintenance; place parts orders, track lead times, and optimize stock levels to minimize shop delays and expedite engine returns to service.
Validate and stamp engine logbooks, maintenance release documents, and technical records per company policy and regulatory guidelines, ensuring traceability of maintenance actions and parts used in each engine repair.
Review and approve work scopes, cost estimates, and labor allocation for engine repair orders; collaborate with production control and procurement to control repair costs and adhere to budgetary targets.
Mentor and train technicians on engine-specific procedures, new maintenance techniques, OEM service bulletins, and quality standards; develop cross-training programs to build a flexible and skilled workforce.
Coordinate with OEM field service representatives, design engineering, and technical services to review unusual findings, request engineering dispositions, or implement service bulletin modifications and life-limited part changes.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives such as lean manufacturing, 5S, root cause corrective action (RCCA), and process optimization to increase engine shop throughput, reduce cycle time, and improve first-time quality rates.
Perform or oversee final engine airworthiness checks, pre-delivery inspections, and customer acceptance runs, ensuring engines meet performance specifications and all corrective actions have been completed.
Lead failure investigation teams for in-shop or field returns, compile technical reports, collect evidence, conduct metallurgical analysis coordination, and recommend repair/inspection modifications to avoid repeat failures.
Maintain and calibrate specialized engine tooling and test equipment; coordinate scheduled calibration, preventive maintenance, and repair of test stands, harnesses, and measurement devices.
Prepare and present KPI reports on engine turnaround time (TAT), shop productivity, scrap rates, warranty liabilities, and quality trends to senior management and customers.
Oversee shop-level quality assurance activities, including internal audits, control of nonconforming items, corrective/preventive action tracking (CAPA), and compliance with AS/EN 9100 or equivalent aerospace quality management systems.
Plan and manage staffing schedules, overtime, contractors, and field service deployments to meet fluctuating engine MRO demand while maintaining budget and safety targets.
Coordinate field service and line-replaceable unit (LRU) support for in-service engines, including emergency AOG (Aircraft on Ground) responses, troubleshooting at customer facilities, and supervised repairs in-field.

Secondary Functions

Support vendor and supplier performance reviews, manage supplier corrective action requests (SCARs), and coordinate supplier approvals for critical engine parts and consumables.
Assist in the development and validation of maintenance instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and work instructions related to engine disassembly, inspection, repair, and reassembly.
Participate in cross-functional program meetings (production, procurement, engineering, quality, safety) to align engine shop priorities with business objectives and customer delivery schedules.
Contribute to continuous training and certification tracking for engine technicians (A&P endorsements, OEM training, NDT certifications) to sustain technical competency and regulatory compliance.
Support warranty and claims processing by compiling defect data, labor records, and parts usage for submission to OEMs or customers, and lead negotiations on warranty coverage when required.
Participate in capital planning by identifying tooling, test cell upgrades, and facility investments to increase capacity and capability for new engine types or increased MRO volume.
Represent the engine shop in incident investigations, safety committees, and environmental compliance reviews related to shop operations, chemical use, and waste disposal.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Deep knowledge of turbine engine systems and components (compressor, combustor, turbine, bearings, seals, accessory gearbox), including popular commercial engines and military turbines.
Proven experience with engine overhaul, teardown, inspection, repair, and reassembly per OEM manuals and Illustrated Parts Catalogs (IPC).
Familiarity with FAA/EASA regulatory frameworks, airworthiness directives (ADs), service bulletins (SBs), and maintenance release processes.
Hands-on expertise with engine test cell operation, instrumentation, performance verification, vibration analysis, and test run diagnostics.
Proficiency in borescope inspection techniques and interpretation of internal damage, erosion, and foreign object ingestion.
NDT awareness and coordination experience (eddy current, fluorescent penetrant, ultrasonic), including working with certified NDT technicians and laboratories.
Strong documentation skills for engine logbooks, maintenance records, work orders, and technical reports; familiarity with digital MRO systems.
Experience using MRO ERP systems (e.g., AMOS, Ramco, IFS, SAP PM) for work order management, parts reservations, and inventory control.
Ability to interpret OEM technical manuals, service instructions, illustrated parts catalogs, and engineering dispositions.
Competence with shop tooling, precision measurement devices (micrometers, verniers, dial indicators), torque equipment, and calibration processes.
Knowledge of quality management systems (AS/EN 9100) and experience participating in internal and external quality audits.
Budgeting and cost control skills for labor forecasting, parts spend, and warranty claims management.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people-management skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and hold technicians accountable for performance and safety.
Clear and confident communicator—comfortable briefing customers, OEM representatives, and senior management on technical and schedule matters.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making under pressure, especially during AOG events and engine test cell failures.
High attention to detail with a commitment to safety, regulatory compliance, and first-time quality.
Effective time management and prioritization to balance concurrent engine projects and meet delivery commitments.
Coaching and mentoring aptitude to upskill staff and transfer technical knowledge across the team.
Collaborative mindset—works effectively with engineering, procurement, quality, and customers to resolve technical and logistical issues.
Resilience and adaptability in a high-tempo MRO environment with changing priorities and urgent client needs.
Analytical capability to use performance metrics (KPIs) to drive continuous improvement and reduce cycle times.
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills for managing subcontractors, suppliers, and customer expectations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED plus FAA A&P certification or equivalent national licensure for aircraft maintenance.

Preferred Education:

Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aviation Maintenance Technology, or related technical discipline.
Additional OEM-specific engine training, NDT certification, or supervisory leadership courses preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Aviation Maintenance Technology
Industrial or Manufacturing Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–12 years of progressive experience in turbine engine maintenance, with at least 2–4 years in a lead or supervisory capacity.

Preferred:

8+ years of hands-on engine MRO experience including engine teardown/overhaul, test cell operations, and regulatory compliance, with prior experience supervising teams in an AS/EN 9100 certified environment and direct interaction with OEMs and airline customers.