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Aeronautical Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Join Our Team as an Aeronautical Engineer - Hypersonic Aerodynamics where you will work on the development of a sophisticated state-of-the-art avionics product in a world class Integrated Product ...

The Aeronautical Engineering Support position for Hybrid SATCOM is responsible for supporting the research, design, development, integration, and testing of aerospace systems and related technologies ...

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How much do aeronautical engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for aeronautical engineer in the United States is $62.62, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $42.79 and $82.69 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is an Aeronautical Engineer?

An aeronautical engineer works with aircraft and their propulsion systems. As an aeronautical engineer, your job is to design, develop, and implement new procedures and technologies for the creation and maintenance of aircraft components. Specific duties involve testing new designs and materials, assessing parts that were damaged or malfunctioned during flight, and collaborating with designers, pilots, and other engineers. You play an essential role in the aircraft manufacturing process. Aeronautical engineer positions are typically available with aircraft and aerospace manufacturers, government agencies, defense contractors, and aerospace engineering firms.

What is the difference between Aeronautical Engineer vs Aerospace Engineer?

AspectAeronautical EngineerAerospace Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Aeronautical Engineering or related fieldBachelor's in Aerospace Engineering or related field
Work EnvironmentDesign, develop, test aircraft and related systemsDesign, develop, test aircraft and spacecraft
Industry UsagePrimarily in aviation industryIn both aviation and space industries

Both aeronautical and aerospace engineers share similar educational backgrounds and work environments, focusing on aircraft design and testing. However, aerospace engineers have a broader scope, including spacecraft and satellites, making their roles more diverse within the aerospace industry.

What jobs can you do with aeronautical engineering?

Aeronautical engineers can work in aircraft design, development, testing, and maintenance, often employed by aerospace manufacturers, airlines, or government agencies. They may specialize in areas such as aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, or structural analysis, and typically require knowledge of CAD software and engineering principles. These roles involve designing and improving aircraft and spacecraft to ensure safety, efficiency, and performance.

What engineers make $500,000?

Highly experienced aerospace or aeronautical engineers working in senior roles, management, or specialized consulting can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially with bonuses and profit sharing. Such compensation typically requires advanced skills, extensive experience, and often work in the aerospace industry or at major defense contractors.

What does an aeronautical engineer do?

An aeronautical engineer designs, develops, tests, and helps manufacture aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters. They focus on the aerodynamic performance, materials, structural integrity, and systems of air vehicles. Their responsibilities include ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance with regulations, as well as addressing environmental and economic concerns in aviation. Aeronautical engineers often work for aerospace companies, government agencies, or research organizations.

What are some typical challenges faced by aeronautical engineers when working on new aircraft designs?

Aeronautical engineers often face challenges such as meeting stringent safety regulations, balancing weight and fuel efficiency, and integrating advanced technologies within strict timelines. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams—like avionics, materials science, and manufacturing—is essential to address these complexities. Staying up-to-date with evolving industry standards and addressing unexpected technical issues during prototype testing are also common aspects of the role.

What can an aeronautical engineer do?

An aeronautical engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains aircraft and spacecraft. They work on aerodynamics, propulsion systems, structural analysis, and avionics, often using CAD software and simulation tools. Their work typically involves research, prototyping, and ensuring safety and compliance with industry standards.

What jobs can you get as an aeronautical engineer?

Aeronautical engineers can work in aircraft design, development, testing, and maintenance, often employed by aerospace manufacturers, government agencies, or defense contractors. They may specialize in areas such as aerodynamics, propulsion, or avionics and typically use CAD software and engineering principles to improve aircraft performance and safety.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Aeronautical Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Aeronautical Engineer, you need a solid background in aerospace engineering principles, physics, mathematics, and typically a bachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools like MATLAB or ANSYS, and industry certifications such as a Professional Engineer (PE) license are highly valued. Problem-solving, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating on complex projects and presenting technical information. These skills and qualifications are essential for developing safe, innovative, and efficient aircraft and aerospace systems in a highly regulated, multidisciplinary environment.
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Infographic showing various Aeronautical Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $130,258 per year, or $62.6 per hour.
Aeronautical Engineer - Level 2

Aeronautical Engineer - Level 2

Lockheed Martin

Palmdale, CA • On-site

$70K - $123K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted yesterday


Lockheed Martin rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 382 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

31st of 60 rated aerospace companies


Job description

Job Description
You will be the Aeronautical Engineer for the Advanced Development Programs which is responsible for...
What You Will Be Doing
As the Aeronautical Engineer you will be responsible for leading the integration and design synthesis of the multi-disciplinary system trade studies.
Your responsibilities will include:
  • Conduct and support multi-disciplinary system trade studies across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and controls.
  • Coordinate fabrication, assembly, MRB, quality, and supply-chain activities for production operations.
  • Generate and present technical and administrative materials to customers and internal stakeholders.
  • Mentor early-career engineers and support BA capture, program planning, and proposal development.

  • What's In It For You
    We are committed to supporting your work-life balance and overall well-being, offering flexible scheduling options. Learn more about Lockheed Martin's comprehensive benefits package here. Do you want to be part of a company culture that empowers employees to think big, lead with a growth mindset, and make the impossible a reality? We provide the resources and give you the flexibility to enable inspiration and focus - if you have the passion and courage to dream big, work hard, and have fun doing what you love then we want to build a better tomorrow with you.
    Who You Are
    You are a collaborative engineer with strong communication skills and a track record of leading technically complex projects. You excel at integrating diverse disciplines, mentoring junior talent, and delivering clear technical presentations. Your ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive results makes this role a standout opportunity.
    Further Information About This Opportunity
    MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN - This position is located at a facility that requires special access. The selected candidate must possess an active Secret clearance to start.
    Basic Qualifications
    • Experience in airframe structure design and analysis
    • Experience with metallic and composite design
    • Experience with CATIA V5 and or 3DX
    Desired skills
    • Experience working with LM BAs
    • Experience interacting with suppliers, external customers and Production Operation
    • Experience with proposal development
    • MRB coordination and support
    • Experience with hand stress analysis
    • Experience with hypersonic boost-glide systems
    EEO
    Lockheed Martin is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified candidates will be considered without regard to legally protected characteristics.
    The application window will close in 90 days; applicants are encouraged to apply within 5 - 30 days of the requisition posting date in order to receive optimal consideration.
    *
    Join us at Lockheed Martin, where your mission is ours. Our customers tackle the hardest missions. Those that demand extraordinary amounts of courage, resilience and precision. They're dangerous. Critical. Sometimes they even provide an opportunity to change the world and save lives. Those are the missions we care about.
    As a leading technology innovation company, Lockheed Martin's vast team works with partners around the world to bring proven performance to our customers' toughest challenges. Lockheed Martin has employees based in many states throughout the U.S., and Internationally, with business locations in many nations and territories.
    Other Important Information
    By applying to this job, you are expressing interest in this position and could be considered for other career opportunities where similar skills and requirements have been identified as a match. Should this match be identified you may be contacted for this and future openings.
    Work Schedule Information
    Lockheed Martin supports a variety of alternate work schedules that provide additional flexibility to our employees. Schedules range from standard 40 hours over a five day work week while others may be condensed. These condensed schedules provide employees with additional time away from the office and are in addition to our Paid Time off benefits.
    National Pay Statement
    Pay Rate: The annual base salary range for this position in California, Massachusetts, and New York (excluding most major metropolitan areas), Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington or Washington DC is $70,100 - $123,625. For states not referenced above, the salary range for this position will reflect the candidate's final work location. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.
    Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays.
    (Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.
    This position is incentive plan eligible.
    Premium Pay Statement
    Pay Rate: The annual base salary range for this position in most major metropolitan areas in California, Massachusetts, and New York is $80,600 - $139,840. For states not referenced above, the salary range for this position will reflect the candidate's final work location. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.
    Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays.
    This position is incentive plan eligible.

    What Lockheed Martin employees say

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    About Lockheed Martin

    Sourced by ZipRecruiter

    As a global security and aerospace company, the majority of Lockheed Martin's business is with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. federal government agencies.The remaining portion of Lockheed Martin's business is comprised of international government and commercial sales of products, services and platforms.

    Industry

    Manufacturing

    Company size

    10,000+ Employees

    Headquarters location

    Bethesda, MD, US

    Year founded

    1912