Occupation Profile

Aerospace Engineers

(SOC Code : 17-2011)

in California

Perform a variety of engineering work in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$54.24	$43.02	$54.29	$66.51

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	20,300	23,000	2,700	13.3	720

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Scientific Research and Development Svc

5,742

37.3%

Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing

281

22.0%

Electronic Instrument Manufacturing

1,043

12.0%

Communications Equipment Manufacturing

464

7.1%

Architectural and Engineering Services

23,211

6.4%

Employment Services

6,297

1.5%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering.

Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.

Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements.

Plan or coordinate activities concerned with investigating and resolving customers` reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.

Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.

Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.

Evaluate product data and design from inspections and reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, and quality standards.

Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.

Develop design criteria for aeronautical or aerospace products or systems, including testing methods, production costs, quality standards, and completion dates.

Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.

Review performance reports and documentation from customers and field engineers, and inspect malfunctioning or damaged products to determine problem.

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Top Skills used in this Job

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.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

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.

Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

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

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

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

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

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

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

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

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

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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Alternate Titles

Aeronautical Engineers; Aircraft Engineers; Astronautical Engineers; Flight Systems Test Engineers; Flight Test Engineers; Propulsion Engineers