What is an Aerospace Engineer?

An Aerospace Engineer is a specialized type of Engineer. Also known as: Aeronautical Engineer.

Table of Contents

1. What is an Aerospace Engineer?

2. What does an Aerospace Engineer do?
3. How to Become an Aerospace Engineer
4. What is the workplace of an Aerospace Engineer like?
5. Videos
6. Further Reading
7. Similar Careers
8. Collections
9. Comments

An aerospace (or aeronautical) engineer, is someone who designs aircraft, spacecraft, satellites,
missiles, and systems for national defense. In addition, they test prototypes to make sure they
function according to design. They are employed primarily in analysis and design,
manufacturing, industries that perform research and development, and the federal government.

What does an Aerospace Engineer do?

An aerospace engineer typically does the following:

 Directs and coordinates the design, manufacture, and testing of aircraft and aerospace
products
 Assesses proposals for projects to determine if they are technically and financially
feasible
 Determines if proposed projects will result in safe aircraft and parts
 Evaluates designs to see that the products meet engineering principles, customer
requirements, and environmental challenges
 Develops acceptance criteria for design methods, quality standards, sustainment after
delivery, and completion dates
 Ensures that projects meet quality standards
 Inspects malfunctioning or damaged products to identify sources of problems and
possible solutions

An aerospace engineer may develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and
spacecraft. They often specialize in areas such as aerodynamic fluid flow; structural design;
guidance, navigation, and control; instrumentation and communication; robotics; or propulsion
and combustion. They can specialize in designing different types of aerospace products, such as
commercial and military airplanes and helicopters; remotely piloted aircraft and rotorcraft;
spacecraft, including launch vehicles and satellites; and military missiles and rockets. They often
become experts in one or more related fields: aerodynamics, thermodynamics, celestial
mechanics, flight mechanics, propulsion, acoustics, and guidance and control systems.

How to Become an Aerospace Engineer

Entry-level aerospace engineers usually need a bachelor's degree. High school students interested
in studying aerospace engineering should take courses in chemistry, physics, and mathematics,
including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. Bachelor degree programs are designed to take
four years and include classroom, laboratory, and field studies in subjects such as general
engineering principles, propulsion, stability and control, structures, mechanics, and
aerodynamics (which is the study of how air interacts with moving objects).

Some colleges and universities offer cooperative programs, in partnership with industry, that
give students practical experience while they complete their education. Cooperative programs
and internships allow students to get valuable experience and to finance part of their education.
At some universities, a student can enrol in a five-year program that leads to both a bachelor’s
degree and master’s degree upon completion. A graduate degree will allow an engineer to work
as an instructor at a university or to do research and development.

What is the workplace of an Aerospace Engineer like?

Aerospace engineers work in offices, laboratories, or manufacturing environments for either
private companies or the federal government.