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Brilliant engineers work in the aerospace industries. We can tell you that because we have been there all these years to help employers like you connect with many of those talents.
Aerospace engineering has everything to do with the design and construction of flight vehicles, including commercial aircraft, military jet fighters, drones, helicopters, missiles, and satellites. This means that the “flight” in flight vehicles refers not only to machines that fly within the Earth’s atmosphere but also far beyond.
As far as engineering study is concerned, the aerospace specialization came a little bit late to the party, especially for heavier-than-air flight. Yes, some eager students in the back row might say there have been flight vehicles since the late 1800s. They’re not wrong, but the vehicles were all lighter-than-air models like airships. A few of those models even used a steam engine, which was powerful for steering the vehicle but not quite enough for lifting it; they were practically hot air balloons. And then great improvements happened in the period between World War I and World War II, triggered by the research and development in military aircraft programs.
It is a multidisciplinary subject. Aerospace engineers today still deal with the old problems concerning aerodynamics and propulsion systems like their predecessors did in the early 20th century. Now that we have invented advanced materials, such as carbon fiber or high-grade aluminum, and complex electronic control systems, they implement those modern sciences into the trade, too. Let’s not forget about structural design and navigation systems as well.
Innovation and optimization are the keys to problem-solving in aerospace engineering. There’s no single aircraft that’s perfect in every aspect. Every model is the result of a balanced compromise between features and functions. The problems usually sound simple, but the solutions can be everything to the contrary. Take these cases as examples:
Military aircraft must carry with them dependable weaponry. It is the job of aerospace engineers to figure out how to load as many weapons as possible into the aircraft without hindering maneuverability. All weapons must be easy to control during flight, and practical to maintain on the ground. Easier said than done.
Every commercial aircraft wants to be fuel efficient, but at the same time the airline likes to have bigger capacity. The aerospace engineers have to figure out a viable solution to achieve a little bit of both.
Advances in space exploration contribute to the birth of a subdiscipline called astronautical engineering, which focuses on machines that fly above the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the aeronautical kind deals with flight beneath the space. Engineers from the two subdisciplines share similar duties and qualifications. However, each subdiscipline deals with different types of aircraft.
Their main duties include designing, developing, prototyping, and testing aerospace products. If the description sounds like an overgeneralization of the job roles, that’s only because it actually does. Not every engineer, even the most brilliant of them all, can build an entire aircraft from the ground up. In a typical project, some are assigned to certain components, while others work on separate assemblies.
In the old days, aerospace engineers began the design process by making rough sketches on paper before building a small mockup as a proof of concept. Once completed, they moved forward to making a life-size functional model. There would be multiple sessions of testing, evaluation, and modification before they arrived at a fully working design. There’s no other way to say it; the old method was an inefficient, time-consuming process. The good thing was that the project had multiple teams to work on different components. Multiple teams made sure they could complete all their tasks simultaneously. After every single piece was fabricated and assembled, the whole testing and refining procedures would start all over again.
Modern design workflow with CAD software is much more efficient. Aerospace engineers can afford to do away with rough sketches and making mockup models because they can now do all those things on computers. Instead of drawing on papers and creating miniatures, engineers draw accurate 3D models as virtual prototypes. The models are more than just pretty-looking images but accurate design visualizations. Some CAD software also offer features to embed material properties and other specifications to the models. This means the models can produce reliable data when they are run through simulations. There will be refinements and modifications after every run, but all are done on-screen. The method saves a lot of time and money.
Physical prototypes are still necessary. Nobody wants to fly on an aircraft built merely based on virtual models and simulations. Real-world testing is as important as ever to see how the design performs in actual flight tests. Although simulations can include various weather conditions, excessive engine overload, emergency landing, and all related variables, engineers have to make sure the aircraft does work well as a vehicle. There’s no better way to do it than with physical prototyping and rigorous flight tests.
Aeronautical and astronautical engineers apply the same design process. As far as the duties are concerned, both professions share a lot of similarities. The scale and details are all that matters here. They work on machines that fly, but the machines are meant to be used in two completely different environments. Aeronautical engineers make aircraft, whereas aerospace engineers build spacecraft.
Most aerospace engineers work in an office setting, except when somebody calls them from the production or prototyping facility because some problems need their hands-on involvement. They don't usually work alone; in fact, it would be impossible to do so because of the complexity of the project. Aircraft designs and manufacturing are among the most complex engineering projects that require some real teamwork. Aerospace engineers collaborate with other professionals such as mechanical engineers, structural engineers, computer programmers, electronics engineers, software developers, and so on. In many cases, an aerospace engineer can be the project manager to oversee the works of other engineers in the team.
Nearly all aerospace engineering jobs require a bachelor’s degree, at the very least. Some employers who run consulting services prefer engineers with a PE (Professional Engineering) license. To obtain the license, an engineer needs four years of experience in a related field, and of course, a passing score for the PE exam. And that is just for entry-level to mid-level positions. If you need a candidate to fill a managerial or supervisory role, you’re looking for an aerospace engineer with a master’s degree.
As for the salary, an entry-level aerospace engineer with less than 4 years of experience earns a little more than $78,000 annually. The highest ten percent make $176,000 per year. The large gap between the lowest and the highest is pretty much affected by experience and educational backgrounds. Remember that to be one in the top range, a working experience of over 15 years is mandatory.
Some aerospace engineers work in R&D projects, and many of them are employed by the government in the security and defense sectors. Aeronautical engineers make aircraft, drones, satellites, and missiles for the military, whereas astronautical engineers build spacecraft, space stations, and rockets for NASA. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all aerospace engineers are government employees; some of them are, but many more actually work for private contractors.
The second biggest sector is commercial aviation. Much of the work in this sector is similar to that in the automotive industry, for example improving fuel efficiency, reducing emission, and making the vehicle safer.
It is true that aerospace engineers have “only” two subdisciplines, and somehow the few specializations make it as if any staffing agency can do the job easily. On the contrary, we take every staffing project from every client in any industry equally seriously. There is no reason that the staffing work for aerospace engineers can be any less challenging or more difficult than others.
You may wonder how our recruiters can target certain candidates that fit the client’s request. Aerospace engineers, as a general rule, work on aircraft and spacecraft. But even so, they specialize in various components, for example the landing gears, the cockpit, the fuel tanks, the fuselage, and more. Specializations can help narrow down the search quickly, but of course, that is not the only task.
Every flight vehicle falls under the umbrella of aerospace engineering. Whether it is a drone, a glider, and any kind of structure or machine that can fly, there is definitely someone qualified to lead the development project. Let’s say you have a small business currently in need of an aerospace engineer to build a drone. There’s nothing wrong with hiring one engineer to oversee the project, but we advise against handing over every task to a single person. No matter how qualified the person might be, the project is best handled by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and designers. Your engineer will likely hire other professionals anyway and charge back their salaries to you.
Cad Crowd can help you keep things efficient. Here is an idea: we find professional engineers and designers and assemble a team that’s perfectly competent for the project. Our recruiters will also include a dedicated project manager to keep you in the loop of progress.
What about midsize companies or large corporations currently looking for experienced engineers? You can let us worry about it. If we can assemble a team of professionals for clients, well then, it’s no big deal to assemble one for ourselves. But instead of engineers, our team is made up of trained recruiters.
Most experienced aerospace engineers are passive candidates, meaning they’re already hired by other companies and content with their current jobs. They’re not expecting new offers or planning to quit anytime soon, but the point is that they’re not looking for new jobs. In other words, they would only consider a new offer if it’s better and more promising than what they get from their current employers. A “better offer” usually means higher salary, but it can be something else like more flexible hours, less traveling, more interesting paid vacation, benefits, bonuses, etc.
Every staffing agency does things more or less the same way. They match job descriptions with qualified candidates. First, an agency has a discussion with the client to discuss the open position, when to fill it, and what kind of talents the client wants. The next part is all about the search, whether scouring through online job boards or making cold calls to people from LinkedIn and social media. Reputable agencies also do pre-screen procedures, which may involve background checks and preliminary interviews. The agencies then send the resumes to clients for an internal selection process.
Cad Crowd has everything covered and then some. When some other agencies focus on the pre-screening process and basically hand over the resumes to clients, we stand by your side every step of the way until the placement is completed. Job qualification is important, so we take it as a priority. Our difference is that we supplement the process with a detailed check on candidates’ background, work history, and criminal records.
Moreover, Cad Crowd always takes a closer look at their soft skills as well. Things like communication skills and willingness to work as part of a team are just as crucial as technical competence. We want our candidates to hit the ground running and be ready to put their expertise to good use in your company from the get-go. The quicker the adaptation time, the better the impact on the team.
Connecting you with only the most competent and skilled aerospace engineers to make your visions turn into reality. Out platform serves as your one-stop for every skilled professional you need for your team. Having a team fit for your needs and expectations, from the conceptual design to the technological execution, ensures a seamless completion of your aerospace projects. T-minus 3, 2, 1! Get a free quote today, and let us bring your aerospace dreams to life with the unmatched expertise of our professional aerospace engineers. Start your journey to the stars with Cad Crowd.
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