Also called: Electric Propulsion Engineer (Aviation), Aviation Battery Systems Engineer
Designs the motors, batteries and power electronics that let airplanes and air taxis fly on electricity.
You test a battery pack in a fire-proof chamber to make sure one overheating cell can't spread, then tune motor controllers for a test flight. Every pound saved means more range.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 5 years after high school. Bachelor's or master's in aerospace or electrical engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years). Aerospace engineers overall; electric aviation startups are hiring.
Low risk for 10 years. AI speeds motor and battery simulation; building, testing and certifying new electric aircraft stays human.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Electronics class, AP Chemistry.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.