Different IT and tech jobs within the aerospace industry

From 4th October to 10th October is World Space Week, a week dedicated to celebrating science and technology and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. As well as educating people about the benefits we receive from space, World Space Week also aims to excite young people about science, technology, and engineering hoping to build the workforce of tomorrow by inspiring students today.

Professionals in the aerospace industry design, develop, test, and oversee the production of missiles, satellites, spacecraft, and aeroplanes. They often specialise in fields like aerodynamics, structural design, information systems, manufacturing procedures, etc. as they create new technologies for use in aviation, defence systems, and space exploration.

We’ve put together just a few of the many IT and tech jobs available in the aerospace industry.

Design Engineer

A Design Engineer within the aerospace industry works on the design, development, build-up, testing, and integration of electrical power systems for space vehicles and other advanced engineering projects. They create and test prototypes to ensure that they function according to specifications.

The skills of a Design Engineer include knowledge of the full product design lifecycle, electronics circuit design, prototyping, testing, and debugging, communication skills, an inquisitive mind, and the ability to work in a team.

The average salary of a Design Engineer is £63,000

Quality Assurance Manager (QA Manager)

The aerospace industry must consider quality assurance not only for their products to exceed their competitors but also to ensure the safety and consistency of their products. The aerospace industry creates airplanes, spaceships, and defence crafts that are used to carry millions of people worldwide every day. Hence, quality management is incredibly important for manufacturers as well as distributors to ensure the safety of people.

A Quality Manager will need to work closely with various teams including QA Engineers to execute test plans and report bugs. They are responsible for establishing and maintaining quality assurance standards, procedures, and controls within the company. A QA Manager also needs to be able to identify opportunities for improvement.

The skills of a Quality Manager include knowledge of quality control processes, safety and legal standards, reporting and reviewing quality standards, analytical skills, leadership skills, communication skills, and strong attention to detail.

The average salary of a Quality Manager is £61,500

Supply Chain Specialist

The production of aerospace vehicles is a complex process that involves procuring thousands of components of various materials. Finding a supplier that meets quality, cost, and delivery requirements are highly critical for the aerospace industry.

A Supply Chain Specialist is responsible for finding suppliers and investigating low-cost solutions for projects. They need to be able to negotiate pricing agreements and write out contract terms, ensuring communication between various teams is consistent. They need to be able to use systems such as SAP to extract data to report metrics as defined by the Supply Chain Manager. It is also important to be able to identify and recommend opportunities for development and improvement within company processes.

The skills of a Supply Chain Specialist include knowledge of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, financial skills, analytical skills, data and reporting skills, risk management, negotiation skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and an inquisitive mind.

The average salary of a Supply Chain Specialist is £63,000

Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist

A CNC Machinist is someone who helps to operate the milling machine, a machine used in metal work to produce holes, grooves, slots, and contoured surfaces. Nowadays, milling machines use computer numerically controlled (CNC) technology.

CNC machines are used in the aerospace industry to create aerospace parts that are used to assemble and maintain aircraft shuttles. It is essential that CNC Machinists have excellent attention to detail as a single fault in the components could cost thousands and could also cause harm to the user.

Whilst the machine automates some tasks, it still needs manual assistance. Therefore, a CNC Machinist is responsible for setting the machine parameters, selecting the appropriate CNC program, securing the workpiece, starting the machine, and supervising machining operations. At the end of the process, operators are responsible for checking the workpiece using measuring instruments.

The skills of a CNC Machinist include knowledge of CNC technologies, machine operations, measuring tools, the ability to read technical documents, attention to detail, problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to work as part of a team.

The average salary of a CNC Machinist is £30,000

Solution Architect

In a rapidly changing technology environment, companies need to employ Solution Architects to help transform their processes and systems to meet emerging business requirements. The aerospace industry is no exception and needs to make sure it is keeping up with the latest technology solutions.

A Solution Architect is responsible for designing cutting-edge software solutions in algin with company and customer requests. They need to translate business requirements into an architectural blueprint that outlines solutions that integrate across applications, systems, and platforms to achieve business objectives. They need to work alongside project managers and customers to manage expectations and project timelines.  

The skills of a Solution Architect include knowledge of product management, design governance, user-centred design (UCD), IoT, problem-solving skills, leadership skills, attention to detail, time management skills, adaptability skills, the ability to work in a team, and communication skills.

The average salary of a Solution Architect is £80,000

Systems Engineer

Whilst a Design Engineer works on ‘how’ the systems should work, the Systems Engineer is responsible for ‘what’ is needed in order for the design to work. Within the aerospace industry, they are often responsible for the deployment and support of automated machinery for the manufacture of aircrafts. The scope of automated machinery ranges from large milling machines and industrial robots to lightweight solutions and collaborative robots.

The skills of a Systems Engineer include knowledge of cloud services, networking systems, experience in installing, configuring, and troubleshooting UNIX /Linux-based environments, virtualisation and containerisation, automation software, scripting skills, problem-solving skills, communications skills, and attention to detail.

The average salary of a Systems Engineer is £49,000

The demand for aerospace jobs has gone up by 442% in the past two years, and the market itself is expected to grow from £276 billion in 2020 to £398 billion in 2025 at a rate of 7.7%. Some factors driving the industry include the increase in digital tools and software being used, meaning a more specialised workforce is required.

Airbus is one of the world’s leaders in the design, manufacture, and delivery of aerospace products, services, and solutions to customers worldwide. They have many exciting opportunities to work with them including various software engineering roles.