Information for Careers in Aerospace Propulsion



What is Propulsion?

Propulsion is the study of matter as it flows through various components of jet engines, rocket motors, compressors, combustion, turbines, nozzles and diffusers. Propulsion is a very important part in life. It affects cars, planes, and most every other moving thing. Propulsion brings together the fields of chemistry, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, static dynamics, stress causes, and heat transfers. Propulsion Engineering is a specialized field which is an important part of the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering fields.





Education Requirements to be a Propulsion Engineer

To be a Propulsion Engineer or any engineer many years of education is required. Most Propulsion Engineers have at least a Bachelor of Science (BA/BS) in Aerospace. It would be very helpful to have a Master of Science (MA/MS) in Aerospace, this would certainly give an edge over those with a BA/BS when job searching. A Master of Engineering (M.Eng) degree is also available. The BA/BS and MA/MS degrees mainly emphasize research while the M.Eng is for those interested in applications of technology and design. A MA/MS is typically completed in 5 years by students. A Master of Engineering is a one year masters degree program. This program allows students to develop a level of competence in engineering science, current technology, and engineering design. Many companies won't even consider hiring someone without a Masters Degree from a major college.

Suggested Courses : Aerospace Engineering, Physics, High Level Mathematics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Computer-Assisted Design (CAD), Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfers, Material Engineering, and other related engineering subjects

Equipment used for job Propulsion Engineers work with a wide array of equipment on the job. They work with the control systems of missile / space defense, CAD, Testing Equipment, Thrust / Flow Rates, Electronic Siliscopes, Frequency Counters, and many other types of equipment.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for a propulsion engineer is a cloudy one at best. Current defense cutbacks have resulted in many layoffs in the defense industry. Job security is often on the minds of engineers. Carl Anderson of Propulsion Research Inc., is confidant that the cutbacks are temporary and that the need for missile defenses will result in the growth of the propulsion field. Needs for improvements in existing transportation systems and advancement of space travel should ensure a continued need for Propulsion Engineers.

Salaries for a Propulsion Engineer The average starting salary for a propulsion engineer with a BA/BS is around $36,000. A person with a MA/MS in engineering has a typical starting salary around $43,000. With 10-15 years of experience the salary goes from about $50,000 and up.



Job Stress
As with any job there is always some degree of stress. The amount money that is made is usually directly proportional to the amount of stress. Engineers must be able to handle the stress of deadlines, production goals, and setbacks. Engineering is usually the researching of new ideas, with these new ideas come many successes. But many times it is accompanied by setbacks, not failures. Engineers must have a good positive attitude and stay focused on the goal, never ever giving up. If an engineer can work with that kind of attitude then the amount of stress is significantly less than if he had a bad attitude.



Other Job Opportunities A Propulsion Engineer is not limited to that field. The Propulsion field interacts with many other fields of engineering thus allowing an engineer of that field to work in another. Other job options include Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering in general.



Click on the Fire to Link to a Profile of a Principal Engineer, Propulsion Analysis with a large aerospace company(Sight may be down)



Click on Image for Links to other Aerospace Pages



This page and the information it contained was constructed with the help of Carl Anderson, President and CEO of Propulsion Research Inc.; Jeffery Leaf, Pre-Eng. Teacher; and HotDog Pro Web Page Creator.