Aerospace Engineer Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Aerospace engineers in Tucson work on missiles, stratospheric balloons and spacecraft life-support systems within a few miles of each other. World View, Celestica and Paragon Space Development are posting engineering jobs now, and the University of Arizona trains much of the local pipeline. Current openings are below.
Current Aerospace Engineer Openings in Tucson, AZ
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Aerospace Engineer Work in Tucson
Raytheon, part of RTX, is the anchor: its missile plant south of Tucson International Airport makes it the metro's largest private employer, with about 14,050 local jobs in HUD's December 2024 market analysis. Around it is a smaller set of space and aerospace companies. World View builds and launches stratospheric balloons from Tucson and now sits inside Ondas Sentinel's defense business, Paragon Space Development keeps its headquarters here, and Celestica runs an ITAR manufacturing site that hires test engineers.
That mix shapes the jobs. Defense work brings citizenship rules, export-control screening and security clearances, while the space companies hire smaller, hands-on teams where a test engineer also designs the lab and supports launch. Tucson had about 470 aerospace engineers in the BLS May 2023 count, so openings are steady but not plentiful, and many engineers move between mechanical, electrical and systems titles.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Aerospace Engineers
These Tucson employers have posted aerospace engineering work on their own careers sites:
- World View - the stratospheric balloon company, hiring a test engineer for flight avionics, a senior manufacturing engineer and an engineering manager in Tucson.
- Celestica - lead and associate test manufacturing engineers at its Tucson ITAR facility, which also builds aerospace assemblies.
- Paragon Space Development - the Tucson-headquartered spacecraft life-support company, hiring a test-focused electrical engineer; U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.
Aerospace Engineer Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (0-3 years): roughly $75,000 to $95,000 a year.
- Experienced (4-8 years): roughly $95,000 to $125,000 a year.
- Senior, lead or manager: roughly $125,000 to $165,000 a year.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. BLS put Tucson aerospace engineers at a median of $50.90 an hour and a mean of $112,850 a year in May 2023. World View posts $80,000 to $100,000 for its test engineer and $100,000 to $125,000 for its senior manufacturing engineer. Clearances, a master's degree and program leadership move pay toward the top.
How to Become an Aerospace Engineer in Tucson
The local degree is a bachelor's in aerospace or mechanical engineering from the University of Arizona's Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Pima Community College's Pre-Engineering associate degree at West Campus covers the first two years for transfer students. Arizona does not require a license to work as an aerospace engineer; the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration licenses professional engineers, but the Tucson aerospace postings read for this guide do not ask for a PE. Defense and space employers do screen for U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, export-control eligibility and, at defense contractors, a security clearance.
What the Job Involves
Aerospace engineers design, analyze and test aircraft, missiles, spacecraft and the systems inside them. A test engineer writes test plans, runs unit and system tests, finds root causes and keeps the lab equipment ready. A manufacturing engineer sets up the line, the tooling and the work instructions. Most of the job is on-site, in labs and on production floors.
Skills Employers Look For
- A bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical or electrical engineering
- Test planning, data reduction and root cause analysis
- CAD, simulation and analysis tools
- Hardware and system integration experience
- U.S. citizenship and clearance eligibility for defense programs
- Clear technical writing for test procedures and reports
Career Path and Advancement
In Tucson the ladder runs from engineer to senior engineer, lead and engineering manager, and both World View and Celestica post jobs at several of those levels at once. Engineers often specialize in test, manufacturing, systems or design, and moving among the defense contractors, the space companies and the manufacturers near the airport is a common way to step up.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for aerospace engineers:
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do you need to be an aerospace engineer in Tucson?
A bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical or electrical engineering is the usual requirement. The University of Arizona's Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering offers bachelor's degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering.
Do you need a PE license for aerospace engineering in Arizona?
No. A PE license from the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration is required to stamp certain public drawings, but the Tucson aerospace postings read for this guide do not ask for one.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Tucson?
BLS put the Tucson mean at $112,850 a year in May 2023. Expect roughly $75,000 to $95,000 starting, $95,000 to $125,000 with experience and $125,000 to $165,000 for senior and lead roles.
Do aerospace engineering jobs in Tucson require a security clearance?
Defense jobs usually do. Space companies such as Paragon require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and Celestica screens for export control at its ITAR site after an offer.
Which companies hire aerospace engineers in Tucson?
Raytheon is the largest aerospace employer in the metro. World View, Celestica and Paragon Space Development have posted Tucson engineering jobs on their own careers sites this fall.
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