What Does An Aerospace Engineers Do?
As experts in mechanics, robotics, aerodynamics, physics, and thermodynamics, aerospace engineers are responsible for designing aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, missiles, jet fighters, and helicopters that will function efficiently.
While some specialize as aeronautical engineers to study the aerodynamic performance of aircrafts, others will focus their careers as astronautical engineers to work with the technology of space exploration crafts.
Daily Duties for Aerospace Engineers:
- Directing the design, manufacture, and testing of aircraft or spacecraft products
- Evaluating project proposals to decide if they are technically or financially viable
- Determining whether project proposals will result in safe aircrafts
- Assessing design plans to ensure the products will meet engineering principles, environmental challenges, and client requirements
- Developing criteria for quality standards, sustainment, design methods, and completion timelines
- Guaranteeing that all design and manufacturing projects comply with regulations
- Coordinating test flights and maintaining detailed documentation on the results
- Investigating malfunctioning products to identify possible solutions for structural integrity
Aerospace Engineer Job Description
What do aerospace engineers do? In most situations, aerospace engineers can be found working primarily for firms that engage in the analysis, design, manufacturing, research, and development of aircraft or spacecraft. As a result, they are commonly employed in the industries of aerospace product manufacturing, scientific research services, engineering services, and navigational manufacturing.
Aerospace engineers also may be hired by the federal government to build aircraft, missiles, and control systems for national defense.
Aerospace engineers typically work full-time schedules, but engineers who are in charge of directing projects will often work extra hours to monitor progress and ensure deadlines are met. During their workday, aerospace engineers spend most of their time in an office environment using sophisticated computer equipment and software to design models.
Skills Needed to Be an Aerospace Engineer
For entry into the highly specialized field, aerospace engineers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or science related to aerospace systems with hands-on experience from a cooperative program or internship. Due to the complexity of their work, it is essential that aerospace engineers have comprehensive knowledge in aerodynamics, mechanics, structures, stability, propulsion, physics, mathematics, and engineering principles.
In order to be successful as an aerospace engineer, individuals must possess strong analytical skills to formulate designs that will improve performance, business skills to meet federal government standards, critical thinking skills to determine why a certain design is not working, and writing skills to create documentation. Furthermore, aerospace engineers should have good communication skills to work with other professionals involved in building the aircraft.
