Drafters, Engineering Technicians, and Mapping Technicians

How to become an Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist or Technician

Official title: Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Also called: Avionics Installation Technician, Avionics Test Technician, Engineering Technician, Engineering Test Technician, Flight Test Instrument Technician, Instrumentation Technician, Systems Test Technician, Test Technician

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.

Main tasks

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.
Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results.
Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis.
Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms.
Adjust, repair, or replace faulty components of test setups and equipment.
Fabricate and install parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments.

How to become one

Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians typically need an associate's degree in engineering technology or a related field. Some employers consider candidates who have a high school diploma or have completed a certificate program.

Typical education to start: Associate's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Aerospace Engineering Build Technician (Nof).
Apprenticeship: Test Equipment Mechanic.
Apprenticeship: Wind Tunnel Mechanic.
Certificate or associate's degree: Associate's degree. Programs such as Astronautical Engineering; Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General; Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $82,890 a year The middle half earn $67,680 to $111,280.
About 11,600 people work in this job now, and about 12,900 are projected by 2035. (+11.9%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist or Technician?

How much does an Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist or Technician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $82,890 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $67,680 to $111,280.

Is an Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist or Technician a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2035, from about 11,600 to about 12,900 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist or Technician?

Usually not. Only 23% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Associate's degree; Aerospace Engineering Build Technician (Nof).

Will AI change the work of an Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist or Technician?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.