Role

Aerospace Engineer

Designs and tests aircraft, spacecraft, and related systems with a focus on safety and performance.

12 chaptersAbout 4–5 months15–30 min a day10 skills2 projects
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Chapter 1 is free. No card needed.

Day 1 on the Aerospace Engineer path.

What a Aerospace Engineer does

Design and test aircraft and spacecraft systems so they fly safely, efficiently, and meet mission needs.

  • Design aircraft and spacecraft parts to meet performance, weight, and safety targets
  • Analyze aerodynamics, loads, and stability using math models and simulations
  • Plan and run tests such as wind tunnel, vibration, and structural testing
  • Review requirements and turn them into engineering specs and design choices
  • Work with manufacturing to ensure designs can be built and inspected reliably
  • Investigate failures and test issues, find root causes, and propose fixes
  • Document designs, analyses, and test results for reviews and certification

A day in the life

  1. Review priorities, risks, and test results with the team in a short meeting
  2. Run simulations, check results, and update designs based on findings
  3. Join design reviews to explain tradeoffs like weight, cost, and safety margin
  4. Coordinate with test and manufacturing teams to solve build or test problems
  5. Write reports and update requirements, drawings, and change requests

Tools you will use

CAD: CATIA, SolidWorks, Siemens NXSimulation: ANSYS, Abaqus, OpenFOAMProgramming: Python, MATLABData analysis: Excel, JupyterTesting: wind tunnel, strain gaugesDocumentation: requirements tools, change control

Your plan

Chapter by chapter.

1~2 wks

See the work of an Aerospace Engineer

StartFree
2~2 wks

Physics and Simulation

Skills
3~2 wks

Two-option trade study memo with recommendation

Proof
4~2 wks

Testing and Verification

Skills
51–2 wks

Meet people doing the work

People
6~2 wks

Certification and Documentation

Skills
7~2 wks

Communication and Collaboration

Skills
8~2 wks

Problem Solving and Adaptability

Skills
9~2 wks

Anomaly investigation report from a public flight or satellite dataset

Proof
101–2 wks

Prepare for Aerospace Engineer interviews

Interview
111–2 wks

Choose your route into Aerospace Engineer work

Decide
12on your timeline

Apply for Aerospace Engineer roles

Apply

By the last chapter

This is what you can show.

Things you've made

Two-option trade study memo with recommendation and Anomaly investigation report from a public flight or satellite dataset

Skills you can prove

10 skills, each rated on work you actually did.

People you've talked to

3 people who do the job, with a message ready for each.

Questions you can answer

20 interview questions and a mock interview, with feedback.

Credentials

7 credentials compared, so you can pick one, or decide you don't need one. None is required.

Ways in

There is more than one route.

Ways to study

  • Bachelors degree in aerospace engineering or mechanical engineering
  • Masters degree for specialization in structures, propulsion, or controls
  • Technical diploma plus strong CAD and testing experience for technician-to-engineer paths

How people get their first job

  • Apply for aerospace internships in design, analysis, manufacturing, or test teams
  • Join a student rocketry, drone, or satellite club and document your work
  • Build a portfolio with CAD models, simulations, and short test reports
  • Start in manufacturing engineering or test engineering and move into design roles
  • Earn a CAD or FEA fundamentals certificate and show projects using it

Life skills on this path: Networking · Job interviews · Job search

How the work is changing

What AI is doing to this role

How AI is changing this role · one of 6 tasks we track

Run CFD and structural simulations

Sped up a lot

What AI does

Trained models give a first answer before the full solver runs.

Still yours

You still run the real solver before anyone signs anything.

Reviewed September 2026

In the app · Premium

The rest is in the app

  • How AI affects the other 5 tasks
  • Whether this job is growing or shrinking
  • How hard the first job is to get
  • Similar roles that are easier to get into
  • Updated every month, with sources
See it in the app →

How we rate a job →

Already working

Already a Aerospace Engineer?

Plan your move to Senior Aerospace Engineer: 10 chapters that end with a strong case for your next review.

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Questions

Questions about this path

How long does it take to become a aerospace engineer with Welica?

The path is 12 chapters, 4–5 months at 15 to 30 minutes a day. You can go faster or slower; the plan moves with you.

Do I need a degree?

Not always. Common routes are bachelors degree in aerospace engineering or mechanical engineering, masters degree for specialization in structures, propulsion, or controls, or technical diploma plus strong CAD and testing experience for technician-to-engineer paths.

What is free?

Chapter 1, See the work of an Aerospace Engineer, is free for good. Premium unlocks the rest of the path.

Start the Aerospace Engineer path.

Chapter 1 free. About 15 to 30 minutes a day.

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