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Manufacturing
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist/Technician
What They Do
About This Career
Operates, installs, adjusts, and maintains integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.
This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Manufacturing Production Process Development pathway.
A person in this career:
- Tests aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
- Identifies required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
- Inspects, diagnoses, maintains, and operates test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Confers with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results.
- Records and interprets test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms.
- Operates and calibrates computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis.
- Adjusts, repairs, or replaces faulty components of test setups and equipment.
- Fabricates and installs parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments.
- Finishes vehicle instrumentation and deinstrumentation.
- Constructs and maintains test facilities for aircraft parts and systems, according to specifications.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
- Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
- Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
- Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals more than once a month
- Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
- Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
- Regular working hours and limited travel
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- Avionics Test Technician
- Engineering Technician — Solves technical application oriented problems, for example the technician makes sure things, such as circuits or transportation systems, work.
- Instrumentation Technician
- Systems Test Technician
- Test Technician
- Flight Test Instrument Technician
- Engineering Test Technician
- Avionics Installation Technician
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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