2

Entry Level Aerospace Engineering Jobs in Berkeley, CA

Entry Level Aerospace Engineering information

See Berkeley, CA salary details

$36.7K

$84.9K

$144.5K

How much do entry level aerospace engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level aerospace engineering in Berkeley, CA is $84,930.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $63,100.00 and $96,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an entry level aerospace engineer do?

An entry level aerospace engineer typically assists in designing, testing, and evaluating aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. They work under the supervision of senior engineers to analyze data, develop technical reports, and support the creation of prototypes. Responsibilities may also include using computer-aided design (CAD) software, performing calculations, and helping ensure projects meet safety and quality standards. This role is ideal for recent graduates looking to gain practical experience in the aerospace industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level aerospace engineer?

To thrive as an Entry Level Aerospace Engineer, you need a solid grasp of engineering principles, mathematics, and physics, typically backed by a bachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering. Familiarity with CAD software (like CATIA or SolidWorks), MATLAB, and simulation tools is commonly expected, along with knowledge of relevant industry standards. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork and communication skills help you excel in this collaborative and technically demanding field. These competencies are vital for designing safe, innovative aerospace systems and contributing effectively to multidisciplinary project teams.

What types of projects and responsibilities can I expect as an entry level aerospace engineer?

As an entry-level aerospace engineer, you will typically support senior engineers on projects such as designing, testing, and analyzing aircraft or spacecraft components. Your daily tasks may include creating CAD models, running simulations, reviewing technical documentation, and participating in team meetings to discuss project progress. Collaboration is common, as you'll work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including mechanical, electrical, and software engineers. Over time, you may take on more complex assignments and gradually increase your responsibility within the team.

What is the difference between Entry Level Aerospace Engineering vs Aerospace Technician?

AspectEntry Level Aerospace EngineeringAerospace Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineeringAssociate's degree or technical certification
Work EnvironmentDesign, analysis, and development in offices or labsHands-on assembly, maintenance, and testing in labs or manufacturing facilities
Employer & Industry UsageEngineering firms, aerospace companies, government agenciesManufacturers, maintenance facilities, aerospace service providers
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding entry-level engineering roles in aerospaceTechnical roles supporting aerospace systems

Entry Level Aerospace Engineering focuses on designing and analyzing aerospace systems, requiring a bachelor's degree. Aerospace Technicians perform hands-on maintenance and testing, often with technical certifications. Both roles are essential in the aerospace industry but differ in education, responsibilities, and work environment.

Does NASA hire entry-level aerospace engineers?

NASA hires entry-level aerospace engineers through competitive internship and recent graduate programs, often requiring a relevant degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering and knowledge of tools like CAD and MATLAB. These positions provide opportunities for new graduates to gain experience in spacecraft design, aerodynamics, and propulsion systems.

Is it hard to get hired as an entry level aerospace engineer?

Entry level aerospace engineering positions can be competitive, often requiring a relevant bachelor's degree, strong technical skills, and internships or project experience. Employers look for candidates with knowledge of CAD software, aerodynamics, and basic systems analysis, but the hiring process generally favors those with practical experience and a solid academic background.

What are the most commonly searched types of Aerospace Engineering jobs in Berkeley, CA?

The most popular types of Aerospace Engineering jobs in Berkeley, CA are:

What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Aerospace Engineering jobs in Berkeley, CA?

For Entry Level Aerospace Engineering jobs in Berkeley, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Entry Level Aerospace Engineering jobs in Berkeley, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Entry Level Aerospace Engineering jobs in Berkeley, CA are:

What cities near Berkeley, CA are hiring for Entry Level Aerospace Engineering jobs?

Cities near Berkeley, CA with the most Entry Level Aerospace Engineering job openings:

Infographic showing various Entry Level Aerospace Engineering job openings in Berkeley, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $84,930 per year, or $40.8 per hour.

Electrical Engineer, Avionics

Zipline

South San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

About You and The Roleย 

Zipline designs, manufactures, and operates autonomous delivery systems that depend on reliable avionics, sensing, communications, power, and ground-support hardware. These systems must work in the real world, at fleet scale, across changing environments, manufacturing variation, field operations, and rapid product evolution.

As an Electrical Engineer on the Avionics team, you will contribute to the design, integration, validation, and release of electrical hardware for aircraft and supporting ground systems. You will work closely with experienced electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, manufacturing, test, quality, supply-chain, and operations teams to build hardware that is safe, robust, manufacturable, and ready for real-world use.

This is a hands-on entry-level role for someone with strong electrical engineering fundamentals and practical experience from internships, co-ops, research, capstone projects, competition teams, or personal builds. You should be excited to learn quickly, work carefully in the lab, and grow into deeper subsystem ownership over time.

What You'll Doย 
  • Contribute to the design and development of avionics and ground-support PCBAs, including digital, analog, sensing, communications, power, and control circuits.
  • Support schematic capture, component selection, interface definition, and board-level integration with guidance from experienced engineers.
  • Help bring up new boards, run bench tests, collect data, and summarize results to support design validation and release decisions.
  • Work with PCB layout, mechanical engineering, and firmware teams to close interface, packaging, thermal, and manufacturability issues.
  • Support validation testing, troubleshooting, and root-cause investigations for issues found during bring-up, qualification, manufacturing, or flight test.
  • Contribute to requirements, test procedures, design documentation, release packages, and change-control records for avionics hardware.
  • Participate in design reviews and learn to evaluate tradeoffs across performance, reliability, manufacturability, weight, power, and cost.
  • Work with manufacturing, test, quality, and operations teams to support prototype builds, production readiness, and fielded hardware improvements.
  • Build good engineering judgment by asking questions early, documenting work clearly, and following problems through to resolution.
What You'll Bring
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
  • Strong fundamentals in analog, digital, mixed-signal, power, sensing, and communication circuits.
  • Hands-on experience through coursework, internships, or projects with PCBAs, schematic capture, board bring-up, electrical debugging, or hardware validation.
  • Ability to use common lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, logic analyzers, or electronic loads.
  • Ability to read schematics, datasheets, test plans, and basic layout or manufacturing documentation.
  • Familiarity with structured debugging, documenting results, and communicating technical findings clearly.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn from feedback.
  • Ability to collaborate onsite regularly with hardware, manufacturing, and test teams in South San Francisco.
Nice to Have
  • Internship or project experience in avionics, aerospace, drones, robotics, automotive electronics, satellites, or other high-reliability hardware.
  • Experience with Altium Designer for schematic capture, PCB layout review, or release package generation.
  • Experience with Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for test automation, data analysis, or lab-equipment control.
  • Familiarity with embedded firmware development in C or C++, especially for board bring-up, diagnostics, or hardware-software integration.
  • Familiarity with CAN, UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet, GNSS, radios, power electronics, battery systems, or sensor interfaces.
  • Exposure to environmental or reliability testing such as vibration, thermal cycling, or EMI/EMC-related work.
What Else You Need To Know

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!