Also called: Jet Engine Test Technician, Turbine Engine Run Operator
Runs jet engines at full power inside huge concrete test buildings to prove they work after being built or overhauled.
A freshly rebuilt jet engine is bolted onto a thrust stand in a cell with walls several feet thick. From the control room you start it, push it to full takeoff power, and watch hundreds of readings for vibration and heat. If something is off, you shut it down fast and help find the problem.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 2 years after high school. A&P powerplant certificate or military jet engine training.
Ways in: Trade school, Military, Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Aviation Maintenance Technology, Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Program.
Growing about average. Engine overhaul shops are busy as air travel grows.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Automated test sequences and data analysis grow, but running and judging live engine tests stays human.
Classes: Physics, Auto shop, Algebra, Computer class.
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.