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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Maintenance Engineer

💰 $70,000 - $140,000

AviationMaintenanceAerospace EngineeringMRO

🎯 Role Definition

A Jet Maintenance Engineer is responsible for maintaining, inspecting, troubleshooting and certifying jet aircraft to ensure airworthiness, regulatory compliance and safe operations. This role covers scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, avionics and systems troubleshooting, compliance with Airworthiness Directives (ADs) and Service Bulletins (SBs), use of technical publications (AMM, IPC, SRM, CMM), and accurate maintenance record-keeping. The ideal candidate combines hands‑on mechanical and avionics expertise with strong documentation, regulatory knowledge (FAA/AESA/EASA), and the ability to work in fast‑paced line, base or heavy maintenance environments.

Optimized keywords: Jet Maintenance Engineer, aircraft maintenance engineer, A&P mechanic, EASA Part‑66, line maintenance, heavy maintenance, avionics technician, AMM, AMOS, TRAX, AD compliance, aircraft inspections.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) / A&P Mechanic
  • Avionics Technician or Aircraft Electrician
  • Maintenance Helper / Apprentice in MRO

Advancement To:

  • Lead Jet Maintenance Engineer / Senior Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
  • Maintenance Supervisor / Shift Manager
  • Maintenance Planning Engineer or Reliability Manager
  • MRO Operations Manager or Base Maintenance Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Avionics Engineer / Systems Specialist
  • Quality Assurance / Quality Control Inspector
  • Maintenance Planner / Technical Records Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Perform scheduled line and base maintenance on jet aircraft including A-checks, B-checks and component replacements, ensuring work is completed to AMM (Aircraft Maintenance Manual) and company standards and signed off under appropriate certification privileges.
  • Conduct detailed pre-flight and post-flight inspections, defect diagnosis and rectification using standard troubleshooting procedures, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings and test equipment to restore aircraft to service in minimal downtime.
  • Execute complex systems troubleshooting on avionics, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems using borescope inspections, multimeters, oscilloscopes and engine run records to identify root cause and implement corrective action.
  • Interpret and comply with Airworthiness Directives (ADs), Service Bulletins (SBs) and revision changes to technical publications, implementing mandatory modifications and recording compliance in the aircraft technical log and maintenance tracking system.
  • Inspect and maintain landing gear, actuators, brakes, wheels and tires including removal, overhaul and installation procedures per SRM and CMM and complete functional checks and torque verification to specification.
  • Carry out engine checks, borescope inspections, accessory swaps, and ground runs in coordination with engine shop procedures and engine manufacturer recommendations while adhering to hot work and safety protocols.
  • Perform structural inspections, minor composite and sheet metal repairs including damage assessments, rivet replacement, bonding and application of corrosion prevention measures following structural repair manuals (SRM/CMM).
  • Troubleshoot and repair avionics systems including flight controls, FMS, TCAS, transponders, navigation radios, ELT and autopilot systems; update databases and perform software/firmware maintenance as required.
  • Use maintenance tracking and ERP systems (e.g., AMOS, TRAX, CAMP, Ramco) to create, update and close work orders, document parts usage, track component life limits and generate work packs for scheduled visits.
  • Maintain accurate technical records, logbook entries and certification paperwork to support airworthiness release, export/import compliance and to ensure traceability for all maintenance actions.
  • Disassemble, inspect, service and reassemble aircraft components such as actuators, pumps, valves, starters, generators and environmental control components, following component maintenance manuals and tooling requirements.
  • Coordinate with procurement and stores to order parts, spares and consumables, confirm shelf life and part tags, and manage rotables and exchange units to minimize aircraft on ground (AOG) time.
  • Participate in pre- and post-maintenance safety briefings, risk assessments and toolbox talks, enforcing SMS (Safety Management System) principles and industry best practices for hazard reporting and mitigation.
  • Lead or support troubleshooting teams during AOG situations, liaising with operations, flight crews and vendors to obtain technical documentation, spares and remote technical support for rapid recovery.
  • Perform functional and operational checks after maintenance activities including taxi tests, system functional tests and flight test coordination where required to validate repair integrity and aircraft performance.
  • Mentor and train junior technicians and apprentices, deliver on-the-job coaching, monitor tool control, enforce maintenance standards and contribute to competency matrices and training records.
  • Support scheduled maintenance planning by estimating man-hours, identifying special tooling needs, preparing detailed work packs and coordinating manpower for base or heavy checks.
  • Implement reliability and continuous improvement initiatives by capturing defect trends, participating in root cause analysis, recommending engineered fixes and proposing changes to reduce repeat failures.
  • Ensure compliance during audits and inspections by internal QA, regulators (FAA/EASA/CAA) and OEM representatives by preparing evidence packages, supporting inspections and executing corrective action plans.
  • Maintain personal and team certification qualifications, attend recurrent training, human factors and safety courses and ensure all certifications (A&P/AME/Part‑66) are current and valid for certification privileges.
  • Manage hazardous materials and environmental compliance by following handling, storage and disposal procedures for fuels, oils, solvents and batteries, and completing associated documentation and safety data sheet (SDS) checks.
  • Carry out operational readiness checks, pre-movement checks and technical acceptance activities for aircraft entering or leaving the base, including acceptance inspections after third‑party maintenance.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the development and continuous improvement of maintenance processes, standard operating procedures and local maintenance instructions to increase efficiency and safety.
  • Assist the maintenance planning team with forecasted maintenance, material lists, and labor planning for upcoming checks and seasonal fleet rotations.
  • Provide technical input for procurement of tooling, test equipment and special tools; validate vendor qualifications and support vendor quality activities on components.
  • Participate in cross-functional projects such as reliability programs, AD/SB implementation projects, and aircraft modification rollouts.
  • Provide subject-matter expertise to flight operations for troubleshooting recurring defects and recommend procedural or training changes to minimize operational disruptions.
  • Collaborate with Quality Assurance to investigate non-conformances, implement corrective actions, and close findings from audits and safety reports.
  • Contribute to the maintenance training curriculum by documenting lessons learned, creating job aids and supporting e-learning and simulator-based training sessions.
  • Respond to on-call rotation duties, support overnight AOG recoveries and be available for emergency technical support as required by operational needs.
  • Help maintain tooling and calibration records, ensuring all special tools and test equipment are calibrated and certified according to company and regulatory requirements.
  • Participate in safety initiatives and continuous improvement meetings, submit safety reports and support human factors investigations and fatigue risk management activities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate or EASA Part‑66 Category B1/B2 AME license (required) — valid for certification/signature.
  • Extensive working knowledge of AMM, IPC, SRM, CMM, OEM structural repair manuals and certification processes.
  • Proven experience with maintenance tracking and MRO systems such as AMOS, TRAX, CAMP, Ramco or similar.
  • Avionics troubleshooting expertise: FMS, GPS, TCAS, transponder, ELT, autopilot and communication/navigation radios.
  • Deep understanding of hydraulic, pneumatic, environmental control, fuel and electrical power systems on commercial/regional jets.
  • Hands-on experience with engine inspections, borescope use, engine accessory swaps and coordination with engine shops.
  • Structural repair and corrosion control experience including composite repair techniques and bonding processes.
  • Proficiency in non-destructive testing (NDT) methods such as dye-penetrant (PT), eddy current (ECT), ultrasonic (UT) and visual inspections.
  • Ability to interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, circuit boards and perform electrical troubleshooting using oscilloscopes and multimeters.
  • Familiarity with Airworthiness Directives (AD) and Service Bulletin (SB) compliance processes and regulatory reporting.
  • Experience performing component removals/installs, rigging, functional checks, torqueing to specified values and using calibrated tooling.
  • Competence in safety-critical documentation: technical log entries, MEL/CDL application, release to service paperwork and component traceability.
  • Skilled in using Microsoft Office Suite (Excel for worksheets, pivot tables for trend analysis) and basic data entry/reporting for maintenance KPIs.

Soft Skills

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to perform structured root cause analysis under time pressure.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication — able to prepare clear defect reports and liaise across operations, procurement and quality teams.
  • High attention to detail and meticulous documentation habits to support airworthiness and audit readiness.
  • Team player with leadership potential: able to mentor junior staff, coordinate small teams and lead troubleshooting sessions.
  • Time management and prioritization skills in a fast‑paced, turnaround-driven maintenance environment.
  • Customer-oriented mindset focused on minimizing AOG time while maintaining strict compliance and safety.
  • Adaptability to changing schedules, on-call demands and operational disruptions.
  • Commitment to safety culture and human factors awareness — practices risk-based thinking and open hazard reporting.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or equivalent with technical/vocational training plus FAA A&P certificate, AME license or EASA Part‑66 B1/B2.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering, Avionics, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering
  • Avionics / Electrical Engineering Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering / Aircraft Maintenance Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3 – 10+ years of direct jet aircraft maintenance experience (line and/or base maintenance).

Preferred:

  • 5+ years working on regional or narrow‑body/wide‑body jet types (e.g., A320 family, B737NG/MAX, B787, A330), with documented experience performing checks and certifications.
  • Experience in an MRO, airline or military aviation environment with exposure to both routine maintenance and AOG operations.
  • Prior experience with regulatory audits (FAA/EASA) and quality systems, and demonstrable work history of supporting AD/SB implementation.
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