Transportation and Material Moving
Airfield Operations Specialists
Ensure the safe takeoff and landing of commercial and military aircraft. Duties include coordination between air-traffic control and maintenance personnel, dispatching, using airfield landing and navigational aids, implementing airfield safety procedures, monitoring and maintaining flight records, and applying knowledge of weather information.
Also called: Airfield Operations Specialist, Airport Operations Agent, Airport Operations Coordinator, Airport Operations Officer, Airport Operations Specialist, Flight Follower
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $56,020
- $26.93/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 280
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- Not published
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- High school diploma or equivalent
- plus Long-term on-the-job training
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45,610 | $50,650 | $56,020 | $62,070 | $78,250 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Inspect airfield conditions to ensure compliance with federal regulatory requirements.
- Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation.
- Conduct inspections of the airport property and perimeter to maintain controlled access to airfields.
- Assist in responding to aircraft and medical emergencies.
- Initiate or conduct airport-wide coordination of snow removal on runways and taxiways.
- Manage wildlife on and around airport grounds.
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 exposure54 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 58
- Language-model AIOE 52
- GPTs-are-GPTs 53
Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)
Airfield operations specialists have moderate AI exposure, and some AI use is already seen in this work. AI tools could help with flight records, weather information, and compliance paperwork. Walking the airfield and perimeter, responding to emergencies, and organizing snow removal need people on site.
Likely to change
- Keeping flight and inspection records
- Reviewing weather information and compliance checklists
Still relies on people
- Inspecting the airfield and perimeter in person
- Responding to aircraft and medical emergencies
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Next steps from here
Related jobs that build on what you already do.
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Your inspection and safety-rule experience carries over to checking aircraft work. This job pays more, but it usually requires a postsecondary nondegree award.
- Pay difference
- +$37,260 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +6.5%
- To get started
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Flight Attendants
Your airfield safety procedures and emergency response skills carry over to keeping passengers safe in the cabin, in a growing field.
- Pay difference
- +$5,490 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +10.2%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Inspecting and testing equipment is familiar work here. This job has lower AI exposure and builds on your inspection skills.
- Pay difference
- +$3,650 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +5.2%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Related occupations
- Air Traffic Controllers
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Commercial Pilots
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
- Transportation Inspectors
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Flight Attendants
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Facilities Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers
Talk to a career coach
A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.
Talk to a career coach