ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Aviation Engineering Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Kalitta Air, LLC

CASS Systems Analyst

Oscoda, MI · On-site

Degree in Aviation/Engineering, related field or equivalent desired. * Possess knowledge and understanding of aircraft systems (ATA's) and components. * Excellent Analytical skills and understanding ...

Link Engineering Company

Engineering Co-op

Dearborn, MI · On-site

$15.50 - $20/hr

Link Engineering Company (LINK) is a premier designer and manufacturer of precision test equipment, we specialize in developing customized solutions for Automotive, Aviation, Off-Highway, Rail and ...

Link Engineering Company

Engineering Co-op

Dearborn, MI · On-site

$15.50 - $20/hr

Link Engineering Company (LINK) is a premier designer and manufacturer of precision test equipment, we specialize in developing customized solutions for Automotive, Aviation, Off-Highway, Rail and ...

Kalitta Air, LLC

CASS Inspection Analyst

Oscoda, MI · On-site

Degree in Aviation/Engineering, related field or equivalent desired. * Possess knowledge and understanding of aircraft systems and components. * Excellent Analytical skills. * Understanding of Lean ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsAviation Engineering JobsAviation Engineering Jobs in Michigan

Aviation Engineering information

See Michigan salary details

$58.4K

$77.3K

$85K

How much do aviation engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for aviation engineering in Michigan is $77,329.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $75,000.00 and $81,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is aviation engineering?

Aviation engineering is a specialized branch of engineering focused on the design, development, testing, and maintenance of aircraft and their systems. Professionals in this field work on everything from airplanes and helicopters to drones and spacecraft. They ensure that these vehicles are safe, efficient, and meet regulatory standards. Aviation engineers may specialize in areas such as aerodynamics, avionics, propulsion, or structural design. The field requires a strong foundation in physics, mathematics, and engineering principles.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an aviation engineer?

To thrive as an Aviation Engineer, you need a solid background in aeronautical engineering principles, mathematics, and physics, usually supported by a relevant engineering degree and often a Professional Engineer (PE) license. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools like MATLAB, and compliance with aviation regulations such as FAA or EASA standards is essential. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills help aviation engineers collaborate effectively and address complex technical challenges. These competencies are crucial for ensuring the safety, reliability, and innovation of aircraft systems in a highly regulated industry.

How do aviation engineers typically collaborate with other departments during the aircraft design process?

Aviation engineers work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including manufacturing, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance departments, throughout the aircraft design process. Collaboration often involves regular meetings, design reviews, and joint problem-solving sessions to ensure that all technical and safety requirements are met. Effective communication and teamwork are essential, as engineers must integrate feedback from various specialists to develop safe, efficient, and innovative aircraft designs. This collaborative environment not only enhances project outcomes but also provides valuable learning opportunities for career growth.

What is the difference between Aviation Engineering vs Aircraft Maintenance Engineering?

AspectAviation EngineeringAircraft Maintenance Engineering
CredentialsEngineering degree, certifications in aeronautical or aerospace engineeringDiploma or certification in aircraft maintenance engineering
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, research facilities, manufacturing plantsAircraft hangars, maintenance workshops, airports
Employer & IndustryAircraft manufacturers, aerospace companies, research organizationsAirlines, maintenance service providers, airports

While both roles involve aircraft, Aviation Engineering focuses on designing, developing, and testing aircraft and aerospace systems, whereas Aircraft Maintenance Engineering centers on inspecting, repairing, and maintaining aircraft to ensure safety and compliance. Both careers require technical certifications and are vital to the aviation industry, but they differ in daily tasks and work environments.

Are aviation engineers in demand?

Aviation engineering is a specialized field with steady demand due to ongoing advancements in aircraft technology and maintenance needs. Employment opportunities are often available in aerospace companies, government agencies, and maintenance organizations, especially for those with strong technical skills and relevant certifications.

What can you do with an aviation engineering degree?

An aviation engineering degree prepares individuals for roles such as aircraft design, maintenance, and systems analysis. Graduates can work in aerospace companies, airlines, or government agencies, often requiring knowledge of aerodynamics, materials, and engineering software. Certification and hands-on experience are valuable for career advancement in this field.

What does an aviation engineer do?

An aviation engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains aircraft and aerospace systems. They work with aerodynamics, propulsion, materials, and avionics, often using CAD software and adhering to safety standards. Their role ensures aircraft operate efficiently, safely, and meet regulatory requirements.

What are popular job titles related to Aviation Engineering jobs in Michigan?

For Aviation Engineering jobs in Michigan, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Aviation Engineering jobs in Michigan look for?

The top searched job categories for Aviation Engineering jobs in Michigan are:

What cities in Michigan are hiring for Aviation Engineering jobs?

Cities in Michigan with the most Aviation Engineering job openings:

Aviation Engineering jobs near you
Infographic showing various Aviation Engineering job openings in Michigan as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 2% Nights. Highlights an 85% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $77,329 per year, or $37.2 per hour.

Lead Firmware & FPGA Engineer

Acron Aviation

Grand Rapids, MI • On-site

Full-time

Posted 27 days ago

Job description

About Acron Aviation (Avionics - Surveillance):
Acron Aviation designs, engineers, and manufactures certified avionics systems that support safety-critical flight operations across commercial and military aviation. Within Avionics, the Surveillance product line develops and sustains systems that enable aircraft awareness, collision avoidance, and airspace interoperability. Our portfolio includes TCAS, Mode S transponders, ADS-B, and integrated surveillance solutions deployed across commercial, military, and rotorcraft platforms. This work is performed in highly regulated environments and demands deep expertise across systems, hardware, software, and RF throughout the full product lifecycle.
Job Title
Lead Firmware & FPGA Engineer - Surveillance
Position Summary
The Lead Firmware & FPGA Engineer is responsible for the technical leadership, architecture, development, certification support, and lifecycle management of advanced avionics systems spanning FPGA, firmware, and Complex Electronic Hardware (CEH) domains.
This role leads firmware, FPGA, and hardware engineering activities for airborne products including transponder, TCAS, surveillance, and communications systems while ensuring compliance with aerospace standards and customer requirements.
The position serves as the primary technical authority for firmware development, requirements definition, and design execution, including oversight of external engineering partners and contract design organizations. The successful candidate will lead firmware architecture and performance trade studies, leverage AI-enabled engineering tools to improve productivity and automation, and own the development of product hardware requirements and design documentation throughout the product lifecycle.
Technical Leadership
    • Lead engineering activities supporting the development of RF airborne avionics products from concept through certification and production
    • Define system architecture and allocate requirements across FPGA, firmware, CEH, RF, analog, digital, mixed-signal, software, mechanical, and systems engineering disciplines
    • Serve as technical lead for surveillance, communications, and collision avoidance products, including Mode S transponders, ADS-B systems, and TCAS equipment
    • Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and engineering oversight to multidisciplinary development teams
    • Support strategic product roadmaps and next-generation avionics technology initiatives

Firmware & FPGA Leadership
    • Lead firmware and FPGA architecture, design integration, and technical decision-making for avionics products
    • Establish firmware and FPGA requirements, interfaces, and performance budgets for timing, latency, throughput, resource utilization, determinism, fault handling, and system reliability
    • Drive firmware and FPGA trade studies and design reviews across requirements allocation, RTL implementation, state-machine design, timing closure, verification strategy, configuration management, and hardware integration
    • Lead execution of the DO-254 development process for Complex Electronic Hardware (CEH)
    • Coordinate validation, laboratory bring-up, and system integration activities across firmware, FPGA, hardware, software, and systems engineering teams
    • Support certification readiness by ensuring design evidence, verification coverage, traceability, lifecycle data, and compliance artifacts are complete and auditable

Requirements Development & Ownership
    • Develop, maintain, and own Hardware Requirements Documents (HRDs) and associated derived requirements
    • Ensure traceability between customer, system, hardware, software, and certification requirements
    • Lead requirements decomposition, validation, verification planning, and change management activities
    • Establish acceptance criteria and verification methods for hardware requirements

Outsourced Development Oversight
    • Manage and provide technical oversight of outsourced engineering partners supporting firmware, FPGA, RF, electrical, and hardware development activities
    • Define statements of work, technical deliverables, schedules, design reviews, and acceptance criteria
    • Conduct design audits and technical reviews to ensure compliance with company standards and certification requirements
    • Coordinate technical communication between internal stakeholders and external development organizations
    • Assess supplier technical risks and implement mitigation strategies

Firmware Design & Development
    • Direct the design and development of embedded firmware for complex avionics products
    • Review firmware architecture, detailed design artifacts, interface definitions, implementation approaches, and test results
    • Ensure firmware designs meet performance, determinism, reliability, maintainability, and certification objectives
    • Support integration activities across firmware, FPGA, electrical hardware, software, and system-level validation environments
    • Drive robust firmware development practices supporting traceability, verification coverage, configuration management, and certification compliance

Artificial Intelligence & Engineering Automation
    • Champion the adoption of AI technologies to improve engineering productivity, quality, and development efficiency
    • Maintain a continuous improvement mindset and evaluate opportunities for process optimization
    • Evaluate emerging AI technologies and integrate effective solutions into engineering workflows to reduce repetitive and low-value work

Verification & Validation
    • Lead firmware verification and validation activities throughout the development lifecycle, primarily through oversight of outsourced development partners
    • Review and approve test plans, procedures, reports, and qualification data
    • Support root cause analysis, troubleshooting, and corrective action investigations
    • Ensure complete requirements verification coverage and certification evidence generation

Required Qualifications
    • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
    • 10+ years of experience in aerospace, avionics, or safety-critical embedded product development
    • 5+ years of technical leadership experience leading complex firmware, FPGA, or embedded avionics development programs
    • Strong experience in embedded firmware architecture, design, integration, and verification for safety-critical electronic systems
    • Experience managing and overseeing external engineering design partners or contract development organizations
    • Experience developing and managing requirements documentation, traceability, and verification evidence for firmware or complex electronic hardware
    • Proven knowledge of RTCA DO-254 certification expectations applicable to airborne systems
    • Strong understanding of firmware integration challenges across FPGA, hardware, software, and system validation environments
    • Experience supporting certification and regulatory compliance activities for avionics or other highly regulated products

Preferred Additional Skills
    • Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline
    • Experience leading firmware development for FAA, EASA, TSO, ETSO, or military avionics programs
    • Familiarity with DO-178C, ARP4754A, and ARP4761 development and certification processes
    • Experience with FPGA-based designs, programmable logic integration, and coordination across firmware and hardware boundaries
    • Experience with embedded firmware supporting surveillance or communications technologies including Mode S Transponders, ADS-B, IFF, DME, TCAS, or ACAS
    • Experience implementing AI-assisted engineering workflows and automation solutions
    • Experience with DOORS or similar requirements management tools
    • Experience reviewing outsourced firmware development deliverables, plans, and verification artifacts
    • Project leadership or engineering management experience

Key Competencies
    • Technical leadership
    • Avionics systems thinking
    • Requirements engineering
    • Supplier management
    • Product ownership
    • Strategic planning
    • Risk management
    • Cross-functional collaboration
    • AI-enabled engineering innovation
    • Continuous improvement mindset
    • Strong written and verbal communication skills
    • Ability to influence technical direction across organizations

Equal Opportunity Statement
Acron Aviation is proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity and to maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Additional Information:
Acron Aviation maintains a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where allowed by law. Acron Aviation is an E-Verify employer.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Apply