Also called: Wire harness assembler, Missile electronics assembler
Builds circuit boards, cables, and electronic assemblies for missiles, radars, and aircraft.
Assemblers solder tiny components under microscopes, build wire harnesses by the thousand, and follow strict quality standards because a single defect can fail a mission.
Estimate from BLS electrical and electronic equipment assemblers.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma; soldering certification (IPC) is common.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification, Trade school. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Electronics Technology.
Shrinking. Assembly is increasingly automated, though defense production is rising.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Automated board assembly takes more work; hand soldering for low-volume military parts remains.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply to defense electronics makers; they train and certify new assemblers (US citizenship often needed)
Classes: Electronics CTE, Manufacturing CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-2022.
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.