Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Fuel Engineer

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Fuel Engineer is a technically focused, cross-functional engineer responsible for the development, qualification, specification, testing, and lifecycle management of aviation fuels (Jet A, Jet A-1, JP-8, and sustainable aviation fuels/SAF). This role combines laboratory analysis, field troubleshooting, supplier qualification, regulatory compliance, and product development to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective fuel performance across airline, military and refinery supply chains. The ideal candidate understands fuel chemistry, ASTM and military standards, analytical methods (GC, GC-MS, FTIR), fuel additive technologies, combustion behaviour, and has experience with fuel system compatibility and contamination control.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Chemical Engineer with hydrocarbon or refining experience
Fuel Technologist (lab-based fuel analyst)
Materials/Corrosion Engineer supporting aviation or petrochemical projects

Advancement To:

Senior Jet Fuel Engineer / Lead Fuel Technologist
Principal Chemical Engineer – Fuels & Additives
Technical Director, Fuel Quality & Certification
Head of Fuel Innovation / Manager of Fuel Qualification Programs

Lateral Moves:

Quality Assurance Manager (Fuel/QC)
Regulatory & Certifications Specialist (aviation fuels)
Sustainability Manager (SAF blending & lifecycle analysis)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead design, development and continuous improvement of jet fuel specifications and formulations (Jet A, Jet A-1, JP-8, kerosene-base blends, and SAF blends), ensuring performance, safety and compliance with ASTM D1655, DEF STAN, and MIL standards.
Create, manage and execute comprehensive test plans and protocols for fuel qualification, endurance testing and defect investigation, including engine and rig testing coordinated with OEM and test houses.
Plan and perform advanced analytical testing (GC, GC-MS, FTIR, ICP-MS, HPLC, viscometry, ASTM distillation and flash point methods) to characterize fuel physical and chemical properties and to support technical claims and certifications.
Conduct root cause analysis and failure investigations for in-service fuel quality incidents (fuel system fouling, cold-weather operability, microbial contamination, filter blockage), producing technical reports, corrective actions and preventive plans.
Develop and validate new analytical methods and sampling procedures (chain-of-custody, sample preservation, on-wing sampling) to ensure reproducible, defensible laboratory and field data.
Manage fuel additive selection, optimization and qualification programs (antioxidants, static dissipators, icing inhibitors, lubricity improvers) including compatibility testing with elastomers, seals and coatings used in aircraft systems.
Collaborate with refineries, suppliers and blends teams to define production tolerances, change control processes and vendor qualification criteria, ensuring tight control of key parameters (aromatic content, freezing point, sulfur, density).
Oversee fuel certification and approval processes with airlines, regulators and military stakeholders, preparing technical dossiers, validation matrices and responding to certification queries and audits.
Execute fuel stability and storage studies (thermal stability, gum formation, oxidation) and advise on fuel handling, filtration, tank cleaning, and preservation practices for operators and logistics teams.
Drive projects to integrate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into supply chains, performing blending studies, compatibility assessments, lifecycle carbon analyses and support for ASTM D7566 amendments and approvals.
Model and simulate fuel combustion and spray behaviour using CFD or surrogate kinetics to support engine compatibility studies and to advise OEMs on fuel performance trade-offs.
Maintain the laboratory quality management system for fuel testing (ISO 17025 or internal QA), including instrument calibration plans, proficiency testing, SOPs, and corrective/preventive action tracking.
Provide technical leadership for fuel-related environmental, health and safety risk assessments, supporting material safety data sheets (MSDS), hazards analysis and spill response planning.
Drive cross-functional projects to reduce fuel-related operational costs, improve yield and minimize off-spec product through process improvements at refinery blending units and supply chain nodes.
Produce clear, persuasive technical reports, specifications, white papers and internal/external presentations for stakeholders ranging from senior management to regulatory agencies and airline technical teams.
Lead supplier audits and vendor performance reviews focused on fuel chemistry, analytical capabilities, and adherence to specification and packaging/storage practices.
Support aircraft and engine tests (ground tests, certification flights) by developing test fuel recipes, coordinating sample collection, monitoring fuel behaviour during tests and interpreting post-test data.
Provide technical support and troubleshooting for fuel system icing inhibitor (FSII) dosing, distribution, and monitoring programs across fleets and fuel farms.
Manage budgeting and planning for fuel testing programs, laboratory instrumentation purchases, service contracts, and external test facilities/flying trials.
Mentor and train junior engineers, laboratory analysts and field technicians in fuel science, analytical techniques, regulatory requirements and best practices for fuel quality assurance.
Coordinate with legal, procurement and regulatory teams to evaluate the impact of specification changes, chemical imports/exports and new fuel products on contracts and compliance obligations.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry trends, ASTM committee activities, military fuel developments and technological advances in fuel additives and SAF pathways; represent the company in industry working groups as required.
Drive data-driven decision making by maintaining fuel property databases, performing statistical analysis and implementing dashboards to track fuel quality KPIs across supply chain nodes.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Assist procurement with technical evaluation of bids for fuel testing services and laboratory consumables.
Provide subject matter expert input during MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) reviews when fuel-related anomalies are suspected.
Support marketing and commercial teams with technical input on fuel product differentiation and customer-facing specifications.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

In-depth knowledge of aviation fuel specifications and standards (ASTM D1655, D7566, DEF STAN, MIL-PRF-…).
Proficiency with analytical instrumentation and methods: gas chromatography (GC), GC-MS, FTIR, HPLC, ICP-MS, Karl Fischer, viscometers and ASTM distillation/flash point apparatus.
Experience designing and interpreting engine/rig tests, fuel system compatibility tests and stability studies.
Strong background in fuel chemistry (hydrocarbons, aromatics, sulfur compounds), additive chemistry and blending practice.
Practical experience with fuel sampling protocols, chain-of-custody, and field sampling logistics for aviation operations.
Competence in DOE (design of experiments), statistical analysis and data visualization tools for fuel property trend analysis (Minitab, JMP, Python, R).
Familiarity with sustainability metrics and lifecycle analysis (Well-to-Wake LCA) for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pathways and reporting.
Knowledge of fuel handling, filtration systems, microbial contamination control, and fuel system icing inhibitor (FSII) management.
Experience with laboratory quality management (ISO 17025) and regulatory documentation for certification packages.
Ability to perform materials compatibility testing with elastomers, coatings and metallic alloys used in fuel systems.
Experience with computational modelling tools for combustion, thermophysical property prediction and spray dynamics (CFD, surrogate models) is a plus.
Working knowledge of enterprise systems (SAP, LIMS) for batch control, inventory, and test result traceability.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication: able to write concise technical reports and present to multi-level stakeholders.
Analytical problem-solving and structured root cause analysis mindset.
Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management across suppliers, refineries, airlines and regulators.
Project management: plan, budget, prioritize and drive multi-year fuel qualification projects to completion.
Attention to detail and high standards for data integrity and laboratory practice.
Adaptability to fast-changing regulatory or operational constraints (weather seasons, supply disruptions).
Mentorship and team development capabilities for lab staff and junior engineers.
Influencing and negotiation skills when working with vendors and cross-disciplinary partners.
Customer-facing orientation for airline or military support, including calm, solution-focused engagement during incidents.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemistry or related discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Fuel Science, Combustion, Physical Chemistry, or a related field with thesis or project work in fuels, combustion, or analytical techniques.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Chemical Engineering
Petroleum Engineering / Fuel Science
Materials Science
Analytical Chemistry
Aerospace Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of relevant experience in aviation fuels, refinery blending, petrochemical analysis or a related laboratory and field-testing environment.

Preferred:

7+ years of direct experience in jet fuel specification, testing and certification programs, with demonstrated record of managing fuel qualification and supplier programs.
Experience with sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) pathways, ASTM D7566 approvals or equivalent certification processes is highly desirable.
Demonstrated experience in engine and fuel system testing programs, fuel additive qualification, and regulatory interactions (civil aviation authorities, military approvals).