Aerospace engineer

Also called: Aerodynamicist, Aerodynamics Engineer, Aeronautical Design Engineer, Aeronautical Engineer, Aeronautical Project Engineer

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Aerospace engineers perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate the adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.

Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.
Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.
Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.
Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.
Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
Develop design criteria for aeronautical or aerospace products or systems, including testing methods, production costs, quality standards, environmental standards, or completion dates.
Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.
Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
Diagnose performance problems by reviewing reports or documentation from customers or field engineers or by inspecting malfunctioning or damaged products.
Direct aerospace research and development programs.
Research new materials to determine quality or conformance to environmental standards.
Evaluate and approve selection of vendors by studying past performance or new advertisements.
Review aerospace engineering designs to determine how to reduce negative environmental impacts.
Design new or modify existing aerospace systems to reduce polluting emissions, such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, or smoke emissions.
Design or engineer filtration systems that reduce harmful emissions.
Evaluate biofuel performance specifications to determine feasibility for aerospace applications.

Work Context

Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
Face-to-Face Discussions — 94% responded "Every day".
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 83% responded "Every day".
Work With Work Group or Team — 52% responded "Extremely important".
Telephone — 64% responded "Every day".
Freedom to Make Decisions — 56% responded "Some freedom".
Spend Time Sitting — 53% responded "More than half the time".

Work Activities

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Detailed Work Activities

Direct design or development activities.
Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
Create models of engineering designs or methods.
Prepare procedural documents.
Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.
Direct quality control activities.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Science

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Operations Analysis

Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Mathematics

Using mathematics to solve problems.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Systems Analysis

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Technology Design

Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Persuasion

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Instructing

Teaching others how to do something.

Negotiation

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Mathematical Reasoning

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Number Facility

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Perceptual Speed

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need: