Aerospace Engineer onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
Verify required credentials: PE license, Security clearance (as applicable)
Prepare equipment and access: CATIA or NX; ANSYS; MATLAB; CFD software
Assign a buddy or preceptor
Enroll the new hire in Aerospace Engineer training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
Follow test safety plans
Design to safety factors
Follow export rules
Protect classified data
Shadow an experienced aerospace engineer through a full shift
Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

Supervised practice: run a basic CFD analysis
Supervised practice: plan a prototype test
Supervised practice: do a stress margin check
Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

Design aircraft and spacecraft: independently
Run simulations: independently
Analyze stresses: independently
Test prototypes: independently
Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
Begin cross-training on a secondary task
Agree on a credential goal (for example, PE license)
Discuss the career path: Engineer I → Engineer II → Senior Engineer
90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or task	Trained	Observed	Signed off
Run a Basic CFD Analysis
Plan a Prototype Test
Do a Stress Margin Check
Aerodynamics
Structures
Propulsion
CFD and FEA

How to measure onboarding success

Time to independent work on instruments or projects
Documentation or data corrections required
Rework, out-of-spec results or failed audits
90-day retention

How Aerospace Engineer training maps to this plan

Introduction to the Aerospace Engineer Role
A Day on the Job
Essential Aerospace Engineer Vocabulary
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Common Tasks, Step by Step
Tools, Equipment and Technology
Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
Skills Employers Look For
Launching Your Aerospace Engineer Career
Final Knowledge Check

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Aerospace Engineer Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)