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Day in the Life
Aerospace engineers work full time, sometimes in office environments, sometimes at testing or launch sites. They might advance to become technical specialists or to supervise a staff or team of engineers and technicians working on a larger effort. Because teamwork is such a big part of engineering, they will likely be working on a team with other engineers from the same and other fields. The development of a rocket to carry people and experiments to space is a team effort!
Engineers who direct projects must often work extra hours to monitor progress, to ensure that designs meet requirements, to determine how to measure aircraft performance, to see that production meets design standards, to participate in test flights and first flights, and to ensure that deadlines are met. Aerospace Engineers might be working on a new effort, such as developing a spacecraft that would be able to land on an asteroid, or working to improve the efficiency of an airplane to help reduce its impact on the environment. So problems and challenges may change day to day or project to project. Unlike some fields, where the type of work and challenges are similar day to day, for an engineer, the challenges are different every day, and errors or unexpected changes to a project may require people to change strategy and start again. Flexibility is a big part of any engineering effort.
 Teams and Coworkers
Almost all jobs in engineering require some sort of interaction with
coworkers. Whether they are working in a team situation, or just asking for
advice, most engineers have to have the ability to communicate and work
with other people. Engineers should be creative, inquisitive, analytical,
and detail-oriented. They should be able to work as part of a team and to
communicate well, both orally and in writing. Communication abilities are
important because engineers often interact with specialists in a wide range
of fields outside engineering.
Tasks
Aerospace engineers develop new technologies
for use in aviation, defense systems, and space exploration, often
specializing in areas such as structural design, guidance, navigation and
control, instrumentation and communication, or production methods. They
often use computer-aided design (CAD) software, robotics, and lasers and
advanced electronic optics. They also may specialize in a particular type
of aerospace product, such as commercial transports, military fighter jets,
helicopters, spacecraft, or missiles and rockets. Aerospace engineers may
be experts in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, celestial mechanics,
propulsion, acoustics, or guidance and control systems.
The Workplace
Aerospace engineers typically are employed in the aerospace product and
parts industry, although their skills are becoming increasingly valuable in
other fields. For example, in the motor vehicles manufacturing industry,
aerospace engineers design vehicles that have lower air resistance and,
thus, increased fuel efficiency.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Photos are courtesy of NASA.
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