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Principal Aerospace Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Firefly Aerospace

WI · On-site

$120 - $150/hr

As an end‑to‑end space transportation company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our ... As a Principal Propulsion Engineer, you'll own the design, development, integration, test, and ...

Venus Aerospace

Principal GNC Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

Who We Are: Venus Aerospace is revolutionizing rocket engine propulsion. With the first ... Principal GNC Engineer Join us as a Principal GNC Engineer and help design, build and flight test ...

Firefly Aerospace

Principal GNC Engineer

Cedar Park, TX · On-site

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to ... SUMMARY As a Principal GNC Engineer at Firefly, you will serve as a technical authority on launch ...

Venus Aerospace

Principal GNC Engineer

Houston, TX

Who We Are: Venus Aerospace is revolutionizing rocket engine propulsion. With the first ... Principal GNC Engineer Join us as a Principal GNC Engineer and help design, build and flight test ...

Venus Aerospace

Principal GNC Engineer

Houston, TX

Who We Are: Venus Aerospace is revolutionizing rocket engine propulsion. With the first ... Principal GNC Engineer Join us as a Principal GNC Engineer and help design, build and flight test ...

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Principal Aerospace Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal aerospace engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal aerospace engineer in the United States is $147,220.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal aerospace engineer?

A Principal Aerospace Engineer is a senior-level professional responsible for leading the design, analysis, and development of aerospace systems, including aircraft, spacecraft, and related technologies. They oversee engineering teams, ensure compliance with industry standards, and contribute to innovative solutions for aerospace challenges. Their role often involves project management, technical mentorship, and collaboration with other engineering disciplines. Additionally, they may work on research and development to advance aerospace technology and improve system performance.

What types of projects and responsibilities can I expect as a principal aerospace engineer?

As a Principal Aerospace Engineer, you will typically oversee the design, development, and testing of advanced aerospace systems, such as aircraft, spacecraft, or satellites. Your responsibilities often include leading engineering teams, managing technical reviews, coordinating with cross-functional departments, and ensuring projects meet regulatory and safety standards. You may also mentor junior engineers, contribute to strategic planning, and interface directly with clients or stakeholders. The role is both technically challenging and highly collaborative, requiring a mix of hands-on engineering work and high-level project leadership.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal aerospace engineer?

To thrive as a Principal Aerospace Engineer, a strong background in aerospace engineering, advanced problem-solving, and leadership skills are required, often supported by a relevant engineering degree and extensive industry experience. Proficiency with design software such as CATIA or SolidWorks, familiarity with simulation tools, and certifications like Professional Engineer (PE) licensure are highly valued. Outstanding project management, communication, and mentoring abilities distinguish top performers in this position. These skills and qualities are crucial for driving innovation, ensuring compliance with stringent safety standards, and successfully leading complex projects and multidisciplinary teams.

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Principal Aerospace Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Aerospace Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Senior/Principal Lead Delivery Engineer - Aerospace

Luminary Cloud

San Mateo, CA • On-site

$142K - $197K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 29 days ago

Job description

Full-time position | San Mateo, CA (Onsite)
Note: In accordance with export control regulations, this position requires candidates to qualify as a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)). For engagements with cleared customers, an active or obtainable U.S. security clearance is preferred but not required.
JOIN THE REVOLUTION IN ENGINEERING INNOVATION
Luminary helps engineering companies be more competitive by getting to market faster, creating better products, and reducing development risk. We do this through our Physics AI platform - the fastest and easiest way to build and deploy models that understand and instantly predict physical reality with precision. Our customers span industries from automotive and aerospace to defense, industrial, semiconductors, and energy - ranging from hyper-growth startups to Fortune 100 enterprises. Luminary is a Series B company headquartered in San Mateo, California.
YOUR IMPACT
As the Senior/Principal Lead Delivery Engineer for Aerospace, you own customer outcomes for Luminary's aerospace engagements - spanning established OEMs and the next generation building the future of flight and space. You are a dual hat - project manager and product manager - leading a matrixed value delivery team that translates the hardest problems in aircraft design, propulsion, aeroelasticity, and certification-relevant analysis and more into Physics AI solutions. You partner with the GTM team on account engagement and growth.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
  • Own end-to-end customer outcomes across new and existing aerospace accounts - from discovery and use case scoping through model development, deployment, and embedding into customer engineering workflows.
  • Author Statements of Work (SOWs), educate customers on the engagement plan, and own delivery accountability against them.
  • Lead a value delivery team in a matrix structure: Applications Engineers, Applied AI/ML Scientists, Data and Platform Engineers, and selected product engineers. Set technical direction, sequence the work, remove blockers.
  • Operate as a dual hat - project manager and product manager - running sprints, milestones, and risk while also choosing the right use cases and shaping the product intuition for what to build next.
  • Stay hands-on-keyboard where it matters. Debug a model, restructure a data pipeline, prototype a workflow integration. Lead from the front, not from slides.
  • Embrace co-engineering: work side-by-side with customers on use case development, sharing knowledge and building trust through visible, collaborative work.
  • Partner with GTM team on new account engagement, GTM-to-delivery handoff, and account growth.
  • Bring market and customer signal back to Product and Research, directly shaping Luminary's roadmap for aerospace use cases.

WHAT YOU BRING
  • 5-10 years of experience in a technical role in aerospace - aerospace OEMs, eVTOL/UAM, space, propulsion, or aerospace-adjacent engineering software. Principal-level candidates have an extensive track record in aerospace.
  • Multi-physics fluency across aerospace disciplines: aerodynamics, structural mechanics, aeroelasticity, propulsion, thermal-structural coupling, composites, or multi-physics simulation. Generalist depth across several disciplines is more valuable than world-class depth in one.
  • U.S. Person required.
  • Strong hands-on engineering chops - Python, scripting, simulation tools, and AI/ML workflows.
  • Working knowledge of AI/ML applied to engineering - surrogate modeling, neural operators, physics-informed ML, or digital twins.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical teams without direct authority.
  • Product instinct, customer-facing presence, exceptional communication.
  • Self-starter, persistent through iteration, willing to travel 10-25% to customer sites.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related field.
  • Prior experience at commercial aerospace OEMs (Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer, Textron), eVTOL/UAM (Joby, Archer, Wisk, Beta, Lilium), space (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Relativity, Stoke), or propulsion (Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Safran).
  • Hands-on experience with CFD, FEA, aeroelasticity, MDO, or certification-relevant analysis.
  • Understanding of how AI-driven simulation integrates into aerospace development and certification workflows.
  • Active or obtainable U.S. security clearance for engagements with cleared aerospace customers.

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