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Boston Career Explorer

Architecture and Engineering

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

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: Avionics Installation Technician, Avionics Test Technician, Engineering Technician, Engineering Test Technician, Flight Test Instrument Technician, Instrumentation Technician

Median pay in Greater Boston
$79,420
$38.18/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
30
Massachusetts 2024–2034
Not published
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Associate's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$72,890$72,890$79,420$83,930$99,740

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
  • Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
  • Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
  • Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results.
  • Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis.
  • Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure49 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 56
  • Language-model AIOE 52
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 39

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools may help with analyzing test data and setting up data plans, but much of the work is hands-on: running tests, calibrating equipment, and diagnosing problems in real systems. No Massachusetts job projection is available for this job.

Likely to change

  • Analyzing test data and results
  • Planning data collection and test parameters

Still relies on people

  • Hands-on setup and calibration of test equipment
  • Working with engineers on test results

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

9 programs near Boston

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