2

Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL

... controls, and more * Assist with technical specification and report writing electrical equipment ... An ABET accredited Electrical Engineering degree (Bachelors or Masters) by Summer 2026. Salary ...

Showing results 21-40

Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$21

$84

$108

How much do entry level flight controls engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for entry level flight controls engineer in Chicago, IL is $84.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $79.76 and $93.61 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer vs Flight Controls Technician?

AspectEntry Level Flight Controls EngineerFlight Controls Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineeringAssociate degree or technical certification in avionics or related field
Work EnvironmentDesign, development, testing, and analysis in engineering labs or officesMaintenance, troubleshooting, and repair in hangars or on aircraft
Employer & Industry UsageAircraft manufacturers, aerospace companies, defense contractorsAirlines, maintenance facilities, aerospace service providers

Entry Level Flight Controls Engineers focus on designing and testing flight control systems, requiring engineering degrees. Flight Controls Technicians perform hands-on maintenance and troubleshooting, often with technical certifications. Both roles are essential in the aerospace industry but differ in responsibilities and work settings.

What does an entry level flight controls engineer do?

An Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer assists in the design, development, testing, and implementation of flight control systems for aircraft. Their responsibilities typically include working with senior engineers to create control algorithms, conducting simulations, analyzing data from flight tests, and troubleshooting system issues. They may also help ensure that flight control systems meet safety and regulatory standards. This role is ideal for recent engineering graduates looking to start a career in the aerospace industry.

What types of projects and responsibilities can an entry level flight controls engineer expect during their first year?

As an Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer, you will typically start by supporting senior engineers on ongoing projects, such as designing, analyzing, and testing control systems for aircraft. Your daily tasks may involve running simulations, documenting test results, and assisting with the integration of hardware and software components. You'll also collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams—including systems, software, and test engineers—to troubleshoot issues and implement design improvements. This hands-on experience provides valuable exposure to the full development cycle and builds a strong foundation for future advancement within the aerospace industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level flight controls engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer, you need a solid background in aerospace or mechanical engineering, with strong knowledge of control systems and dynamics, typically supported by a relevant bachelor's degree. Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink, CAD software, and programming languages like C/C++ is important, along with exposure to industry standards and modeling tools. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork and communication skills help set candidates apart. These skills are crucial for designing, analyzing, and optimizing flight control systems to ensure aircraft safety and performance.
What are the most commonly searched types of Flight Controls Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL? The most popular types of Flight Controls Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL? For Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Flight Controls Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL are:

$87K - $131K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Re-posted 22 days ago


Northrop Grumman rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 361 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

87th of 537 rated manufacturers


Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: NoCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!

Northrop Grumman Corporation is offering a challenging and rewarding career as a Digital Electrical Engineer within the Mission Systems Sector located at the Rolling Meadows - Illinois facility. The Digital Electrical Engineer role involves full life-cycle product development from system concept and requirements through design, production, verification, and field support while working in integrated product teams spanning Engineering, Manufacturing, and Program Management. Digital subsystem and circuit card designs utilize the latest FPGA technologies from all major vendors and device families including Xilinx, Altera, and Actel, and support high speed interfaces, Radio Frequency (RF) and Electro-Optical (EO) DSP, controls, data links, embedded processing and processor interfaces.

As a Digital Electrical Engineer, you will join our diverse team and be responsible for research, design, and development of digital hardware products. Your expertise in digital component design and analysis, modeling and simulation, and circuit level design and test are desired for this position.

This position will be full-time and on-site at our Rolling Meadows, IL. location

Basic Qualifications:

- Bachelors' degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar engineering discipline with a minimum of 2 years of engineering experience or a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer engineering, or similar discipline.

- Digital circuit design experience, including schematic capture through test and integration

- US Citizen

- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

- An advanced degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering

- At least 1 year of digital electronics design experience

- Hands-on prototyping and debug experience testing complex digital subsystems, such as complex circuit card development involving FPGAs, and/or embedded processors, and/or high-speed interfaces

- Demonstrated ability to translate system performance and operational specifications into hardware requirements, design, and test specifications

- Familiarity with documentation, revision control and review systems similar to DOORS, ClearCase, and ClearQuest

- Working knowledge of Electronic Warfare systems

- Recent circuit card design experience utilizing circuit-related tools including Cadence Concept, Allegro, and/or Mentor DxDesigner, Expedition

- Working experience with ClearCase/ClearQuest and DOORS

- Proven skills to include communicating with all levels of an organization internally and externally, adaptable, creative, collaborative and comfortable working independently and enjoys solving difficult problems

- Current Secret or Top-Secret Security Clearance

Primary Level Salary Range: $87,600.00 - $131,400.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

What Northrop Grumman employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Northrop Grumman logo

About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939