Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Occupation · SOC 17-3021.00
Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.
Also called: Engineering Technician · Instrumentation Technician · Systems Test Technician · Test Technician · Avionics Installation Technician · Avionics Test Technician · Engineering Test Technician · Flight Test Instrument Technician · Aerographer · Aerospace Assembler · Aerospace Engineering Technologist · Aerospace Mechanic
Job family: Architecture and Engineering Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-17-3021-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Growing fast employment outlook (+8.1% by 2034)
- 900 openings/yr
- High AI exposure
- Median pay $79,830/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- A reversal from 2013 — rated low automation risk then (46th), high AI task-overlap now (59th)
59th-percentile task overlap — yet about 900 openings a year (+8.1% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 58th | 0.4 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Moderate | 46th | 0.6 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) High | 75th | 0.2 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.3), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.6). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.5 · 46th percentile among occupations · Moderate
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Growing fast · +8.1% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 900 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 9,300 → 10,100 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians sits at the 48th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
26% mean task exposure (2025)
48th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−7 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Technicians · 3115 | 26% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 12 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters. Core · importance 4.6
- Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications. Core · importance 4.6
- Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions. Core · importance 4.5
- Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results. Core · importance 4.5
- Finish vehicle instrumentation and deinstrumentation. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis. Core · importance 4.4
- Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms. Core · importance 4.4
- Adjust, repair, or replace faulty components of test setups and equipment. Core · importance 4.2
- Fabricate and install parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments. Core · importance 4.0
- Construct and maintain test facilities for aircraft parts and systems, according to specifications. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Design electrical and mechanical systems for avionic instrumentation applications. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Exchange cooling system components in various vehicles. Supplemental
Emerging tasks
Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.
- Operate, test, and troubleshoot uncrewed aerial systems, commonly known as drones, to ensure optimal performance.
Work activities
- Inspect equipment or systems.
- Interpret design or operational test results.
- Document design or operational test results.
- Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
- Calibrate scientific or technical equipment.
- Maintain test equipment.
- Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
- Assemble equipment or components.
- Operate computer systems.
- Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
- Install production equipment or systems.
- Fabricate devices or components.
- Test quality of materials or finished products.
- Design electrical equipment or systems.
- Document technical design details.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Mechanical | 4.5 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 4.3 | |
| Mathematics | 3.9 | |
| Production and Processing | 3.8 | |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.7 | |
| English Language | 3.4 | |
| Administrative | 3.4 | |
| Physics | 3.3 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.3 | |
| Education and Training | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Oral Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Written Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Oral Expression | 4.0 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.9 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.9 | |
| Near Vision | 3.9 | |
| Written Expression | 3.8 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.4 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.3 | |
| Visualization | 3.3 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.1 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.1 | |
| Control Precision | 3.1 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.1 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.1 |
Essential skills
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Active Listening | 3.6 | |
| Speaking | 3.6 | |
| Writing | 3.1 | |
| Science | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Transferable skills
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.8 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.5 | |
| Troubleshooting | 3.3 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Showing the top 40 of 49.
Tools & technology
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Engineering , Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians , Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians , Military Technologies and Applied Sciences . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 39.2% | |
| High School Diploma | 19.7% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 7.9% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 6.5 | |
| Conventional | 5.3 | |
| Investigative | 5.1 |
Interest areas
| Engineering | 6.4 | |
| Mechanics/Electronics | 6.2 | |
| Information Technology | 4.2 | |
| Physical Science | 3.9 | |
| Mathematics/Statistics | 3.7 | |
| Physical/Manual Labor | 2.6 | |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | 2.2 |
Work styles
| Dependability | 4.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 3.0 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.6 | |
| Integrity | 2.1 | |
| Intellectual Curiosity | 1.9 | |
| Perseverance | 1.8 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $53,730 |
| 25th percentile | $64,570 |
| Median (50th) | $79,830 |
| 75th percentile | $102,220 |
| 90th percentile | $120,440 |
| People employed | 9,060 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 4,730 | $80,390 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 3,330 | $75,390 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 1,930 | $73,460 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 520 | $87,360 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 200 | $131,540 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 110 | $123,270 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 90 | $111,350 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | — | $60,460 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Services · National industry | 28.41× | 1,930 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 6.31× | 4,730 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 5.26× | 3,330 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 0.67× | 110 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 0.65× | 520 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 0.46× | 200 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain & Transportation career clusters.
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians · 17-3028.00 Compare →
- Avionics Technicians · 49-2091.00 Compare →
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians · 17-3024.00 Compare →
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3027.00 Compare →
- Automotive Engineering Technicians · 17-3027.01 Compare →
- Robotics Technicians · 17-3024.01 Compare →
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment · 49-2094.00 Compare →
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3023.00 Compare →
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians · 49-3011.00 Compare →
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3026.00 Compare →
- Aerospace Engineers · 17-2011.00 Compare →
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers · 51-2011.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- Associate's degree · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Engineering · field of study
- Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 48th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians show 59th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 900 annual U.S. openings
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians rank in the 59th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be growing fast (+8.1%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $79,830, across about 9,060 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians show 59th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 900 annual U.S. openings • Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians rank in the 59th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be growing fast (+8.1%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $79,830, across about 9,060 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3021-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3021-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3021-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-17-3021-00,
title = {Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3021-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.