There are a variety of prestigious jobs in both the defense and aerospace industry. The aerospace industry deals with vehicles that are made to be sent outside the earth’s atmosphere. This includes anything related to spacecraft and space stations that are a part of the aerospace industry.
The defense industry, on the other hand, has nothing to do with space. It is the industry that provides the government’s military (army, navy, and air force) with weapons, technology, and equipment.
Those who work in these fields get many facilities that you cannot get from other typical jobs. This is a big reason why so many people are eager to join these industries. There are plenty of job openings in different sectors of these industries. Here are an important few-
1. Aerospace Engineer
Aerospace engineers work in the aerospace industry, they design and build spacecraft, space stations, space shuttles, and so on. For those who work in the defense industry, an aerospace engineer designs long-range missiles and also might help design aircraft.
So basically, these engineers are the ones who coordinate the design, manufacture, and testing of an aircraft or an aerospace product. Ensuring that the products are in good condition and are of good quality is also a part of their job.
To get a job as an aerospace engineer, you need to apply to the respective industry and need a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering.
Apart from that degree, you can also apply if you have a bachelor’s degree in another field of engineering or science related to aerospace systems. You can use bob search to find the top aerospace recruiters and apply online.
The facilities of an aerospace engineer are very satisfactory. The minimum wage for an aerospace engineer is about $56.01 hourly, and annually they make about $116,500.
2. Systems Engineer
System engineers design, integrate, and manage complex systems over the life cycle of these systems. The main work of a system engineer is to deal with work-processes, optimization methods, and risk management of various systems. These systems are then later applied to spacecraft or military technology.
With the application of these systems, the technology becomes much more developed. Spacecrafts are better and safer, while defense technologies such as RADARs and SONARs are far better than before.
To get a job as a systems engineer, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Apart from that, you also need to be well versed in data architecture and programming. You need to have good knowledge about scripting skills, networking and have experience with automation software.
As for the wage, a system engineer will get paid $32 to $45 per hour. The annual average salary ranges from $66,993 to $93,994. So the payment is very enticing.
3. Electrical Engineer
An electrical engineer deals with research, design, testing, modification, and repair of electrical and electronic equipment. Someone who works as an aerospace electrical engineer will be the one who designs and tests the interface of a spacecraft.
They are also the one who checks how electric energy will transfer from the engine to the entire spacecraft.
As for the defense industry, an electric engineer works on electrical equipment and electronics such as radar, data systems, electronic warfare devices, and electronic components of missile weapons systems.
To get the job, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and be licensed as a professional engineer. You must also be well versed in Electronic Systems, Electronics Troubleshooting, Electronic Testing Design, and Database Design.
As for the salary, an electrical engineer working in aerospace gets paid about $70,379 – $121,873 annually. For the defense industry, the annual wage is $43,683 – $100,739.
4. Flight Inspector
A flight inspector, also known as an aviation inspector, checks and maintains aircraft. The main responsibility of a flight inspector is to see if any aircraft is ready to take flight. Apart from that, a flight inspector also regularly finds faults and explores scopes for improvement in these aircraft.
To make a career as a flight inspector, you need to go through quite a few things. First, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in avionics, aviation technology, or aviation maintenance management. Then, you need to take either a 2-year or 4-year long training that will give you your aviation degree.
Next, you need to pass the Academic and Practical Examination or A&P Examination. If you pass this test, then you can get a job as a flight inspector.
The wage here is also very attractive. You will get paid about $45,000 to $101,000 per year.
5. Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineers work with all sorts of machinery. For aerospace mechanical engineers, they are the ones who take part in designing various spacecraft and the components of the spacecraft along with aerospace engineers. The same goes for the ones who work in the defense industry. They work to improve the military vehicles and gears.
For getting a job as a mechanical engineer, you must have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. A bachelor’s degree in automotive, aeronautical, or manufacturing engineering will also suffice. They also must have good technical and problem-solving skills.
And as for the wages, they come in plenty. They get paid about $88,430 per year. Per hour, they earn about $42.51.
6. Quality Assurance Engineer
The work of a quality assurance engineer or QA engineer is very simple. They need to check the qualities of tools and products and see if they are ready to be used by people.
For the aerospace and the defense industry, the main work of quality assurance engineers is to check the final products. These products include technologies, vehicles, space shuttles, weapons, and everything in between.
To get a job as a QA engineer, you need to get a bachelor’s degree that complements the product you will check. For example, if you want to check the quality of missiles, then you need to have a degree in electronics.
As for the payment, the average salary can range from $52k – $98k. There is also a bonus of $959 – $10k based on various occasions or performances.
Final Thoughts
Both the Aerospace industry and the Defense industry have very respectable and well-paid jobs. If you meet the requirements, you should aim for any one of the jobs offered by these two industries.
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