Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Aerospace Engineer
What aerospace engineers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for an aerospace engineer?
Review CFD results. From there, the day usually includes design aircraft and spacecraft, run simulations, and analyze stresses. Full time, with deadlines around tests and launches.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an aerospace engineer working full time.
- Review CFD results.
- Meet the structures team.
- Run a stress analysis.
- Observe a wind tunnel test.
- Update the design.
- Write a test report.
- Review supplier data.
Where aerospace engineers work
Aerospace engineers work in offices, labs, test sites and factories.
Hours and schedule
Full time, with deadlines around tests and launches.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Design aircraft and spacecraft
- Run simulations
- Analyze stresses
- Test prototypes
- Work with manufacturing
- Support certification
- Write reports
Tools you’ll use every day
- CATIA or NX
- ANSYS
- MATLAB
- CFD software
- Wind tunnels
- Python
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- High pay
- Exciting technology
- Space industry growth
- Strong demand
What’s hard
- Security clearance often required
- Long programs
- Strict regulations
- Industry cycles
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love planes and rockets
- I like physics and math
- I like testing
- I’m detail-oriented
- I want high pay
- I like teamwork
Not sure? Take the free Aerospace Engineer fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow test safety plans
- Design to safety factors
- Follow export rules
- Protect classified data