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Career Exploration

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Also called: Avionics Technician, Engineering Technician, Instrumentation Technician, Test Technician

What they do:

Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.

On the job, you would:
  • Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
  • Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
  • Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • mechanical
  • product and service development

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • physics

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products

Business

  • customer service

Basic Skills

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
  • reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • notice when problems happen

Visual Understanding

  • see hidden patterns
  • quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Integrity
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Initiative

Program testing software

  • JUnit
  • Selenium

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Operating system software

  • Linux
  • UNIX

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Median Annual Salary: $74,410

Education

Certificate after high school or associate's degree is usually needed.