Science & ResearchISCO 2144

Aerospace engineer

Aerospace engineers develop, test and oversee the manufacture of flight vehicles such as aircrafts, missiles, and spacecrafts. The field of engineering they are active in, can be divided into two branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering.

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Check yourself in a minute: aerospace engineer

Rate 5 of the 18 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

troubleshoot

adjust engineering designs

perform scientific research

use technical drawing software

ensure aircraft compliance with regulation

About aerospace engineer

As an aerospace engineer, you will be at the forefront of designing and developing the aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft that push the boundaries of human flight. Your work spans two primary disciplines: aeronautical engineering, which focuses on aircraft design and performance, and astronautical engineering, which involves spacecraft and propulsion systems. Your responsibilities include conducting feasibility studies, creating and refining engineering designs using advanced software, overseeing manufacturing processes, and ensuring that all products meet rigorous safety and quality standards. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, analyze test data, troubleshoot design issues, and contribute to innovative solutions that make air and space travel safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.

Key Work Functions

Core areas of responsibility for a aerospace engineer.

Design and Development

Develop conceptual designs for aircraft, spacecraft, or aviation components using engineering principles and CAD software
Adjust and refine engineering designs based on test results, simulations, and performance requirements
Create technical drawings and detailed specifications for manufacturing and assembly
Approve final engineering designs ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and safety requirements

Testing and Quality Assurance

Perform scientific research and simulations to validate aircraft performance and safety characteristics
Troubleshoot design issues identified during testing and implement corrective solutions
Ensure aircraft compliance with aviation regulations, industry standards, and quality benchmarks
Review test data and analysis to verify design performance meets specifications

Feasibility and Financial Analysis

Execute comprehensive feasibility studies for new aircraft or component development projects
Assess financial viability of engineering projects considering development costs, production efficiency, and market demand
Analyze production costs and manufacturing processes to optimize resource allocation
Prepare project proposals and technical reports for stakeholders and decision-makers

Manufacturing and Production Oversight

Oversee manufacturing processes to ensure products are built according to engineering specifications
Implement quality standards and safety engineering practices throughout production
Collaborate with manufacturing teams to resolve production challenges and optimize efficiency

Do You Have the Skills for This Role?

Core competency requirements inferred from the occupation's skill profile. Take the free assessment to see how you match.

Must-Have Skills (Advanced)

Problem SolvingAdvanced

Supporting Skills

Creative ThinkingIntermediate

Transdisciplinary ThinkingIntermediate

Digital FluencyIntermediate

CollaborationIntermediate

Check your gaps

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (18)

production processesproduction processesMaterials and techniques required in the production and distribution processes.engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.manufacturing processesmanufacturing processesThe steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.safety engineeringsafety engineeringThe study of the risks associated with engineered designs and systems, accident prevention as well as the safety benefits of reducing deaths and injuries. The discipline focuses on analysing and mitig...aircraft mechanicsaircraft mechanicsTechnicalities over mechanics in aircrafts and related topics in order to perform a wide range of repais in aircrafts.technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.aerospace engineeringaerospace engineeringThe engineering discipline that combines various technologies and engineering disciplines such as avionics, materials science and aerodynamics in order to design, develop and manufacture aircraft, spa...quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.industrial engineeringindustrial engineeringThe field of engineering concerned with the development, improvement, and implementation of complex processes and systems of knowledge, people, equipment, etc.troubleshoottroubleshootIdentify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.perform scientific researchperform scientific researchGain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.ensure aircraft compliance with regulationensure aircraft compliance with regulationEnsure that every aircraft complies with applicable regulation and all components and equipment have officially valid components.execute feasibility studyexecute feasibility studyPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a project, plan, proposition or new idea. Realise a standardised study which is based on extensive investigation and research to support the p...assess financial viabilityassess financial viabilityRevise and analyse financial information and requirements of projects such as their budget appraisal, expected turnover, and risk assessment for determining the benefits and costs of the project. Asse...approve engineering designapprove engineering designGive consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.computer simulationcomputer simulationA programme run on a computer that represents dynamic responses of a system to explore a mathematical model behaviour, using a model of a real system, composed of mathematical equations.

Optional (27) — show

mathematical modellingmathematical modellingThe process of establishing a mathematical representation problem, such as equations, of a real-word to provide insights, discover new features about the problematic scenario, better understand the or...design principlesdesign principlesThe elements used in design such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, symmetry, space, form, texture, colour, light, shade and congruence and their application into practice.stealth technologystealth technologyThe techniques used to make aircraft, ships, missiles and satellites less detectable to radars and sonars. This includes the design of particular shapes and the development of radar-absorbent material...aerodynamicsaerodynamicsThe scientific field that deals with the way gases interact with moving bodies. As we usually deal with atmospheric air, aerodynamics is primarily concerned with the forces of drag and lift, which are...CAE softwareCAE softwareThe software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.fluid mechanicsfluid mechanicsThe characteristics and properties of fluids, including gases, liquids and plasmas, at rest and in motion, and the forces on them.mechanical engineeringmechanical engineeringDiscipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.unmanned air systemsunmanned air systemsThe systems used to remotely control unmanned aerial vehicles by onboard computers or by a pilot on the ground or in the air.guidance, navigation and controlguidance, navigation and controlThe engineering discipline that deals with the design and development of systems that can control the motion of automobiles, ships, space- and aircraft. It includes control over vehicle's trajectory f...defense systemdefense systemThe various weapons and weapon systems used to protect citizens and to harm or shield incoming enemies and enemy weapons.state estimationstate estimationThe process of fusing input data measurements and a mathematical model to determine the internal state of an energy system.synthetic natural environmentsynthetic natural environmentThe simulation and representation of components of physical world such as climate, wheather and space where military systems exist in order to obtain information and perform tests.record test datarecord test dataRecord data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptiona...apply advanced manufacturingapply advanced manufacturingImprove production rates, efficiencies, yields, costs, and changeovers of products and processes using relevant advanced, innovative, and cutting edge technology.create a product's virtual modelcreate a product's virtual modelCreate a mathematical or three-dimensional computer graphic model of the product by using a CAE system or a calculator.oversee assembly operationsoversee assembly operationsGive technical instructions to assembly workers and control their progress to ensure compliance with quality standards and to check that the goals set in the production plan are met.build a product's physical modelbuild a product's physical modelBuild a model of the product out of wood, clay or other materials by using hand or electrical tools.use CAM softwareuse CAM softwareUse computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programmes to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpieces.draft design specificationsdraft design specificationsList the design specifications such as materials and parts to be used and a cost estimate.use CAD softwareuse CAD softwareUse computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.design prototypesdesign prototypesDesign prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.conduct performance testsconduct performance testsConduct experimental, environmental and operational tests on models, prototypes or on the systems and equipment itself in order to test their strength and capabilities under normal and extreme conditi...plan test flightsplan test flightsDraft the test plan by describing maneuver-by-maneuver for each test flight in order to to measure take-off distances, rate of climb, stall speeds, manoeuvrability and landing capacities.analyse production processes for improvementanalyse production processes for improvementAnalyse production processes leading toward improvement. Analyse in order to reduce production losses and overall manufacturing costs.control productioncontrol productionPlan, coordinate, and direct all production activities to insure the goods are made on time, in correct order, of adequate quality and composition, starting from intake goods up to shipping.material mechanicsmaterial mechanicsThe behaviour of solid objects when subjected to stresses and strains, and the methods to calculate these stresses and strains.develop test proceduresdevelop test proceduresDevelop testing protocols to enable a variety of analyses of products, systems, and components.

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Frequently asked questions

What does an aerospace engineer do?

What skills does an aerospace engineer need?

An aerospace engineer needs 18 essential skills, including production processes, engineering principles, manufacturing processes, safety engineering, aircraft mechanics.

Will AI replace aerospace engineer jobs?

The AI disruption score for aerospace engineer is 24/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: record test data, quality standards, technical drawings. Most resilient: synthetic natural environment, aircraft mechanics, stealth technology.