Aerospace engineer

You would design and build aeroplanes, helicopters, spacecraft, satellites, missiles and rockets.

You'd design, build and maintain the aircraft and the parts and instruments that go inside them. You'd make them safe and efficient for people to use.

You'd plan and organise projects to improve:

• Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters

• Space vehicles and satellites

• Missiles and weapons

• Flight simulators

• Flight components and instruments

You could focus on research and development, testing, or production and maintenance.

You would:

• Develop avionic systems like navigation instruments and communications

• Research ways to make fuel-efficient parts, such as wings, fuselage and engines

• Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to draw up project designs

• Carry out ground- and flight-testing programmes on prototypes

• Collect and analyse test data

• Plan and supervise the assembly and fitting of aircraft and components

• Sign off projects under strict licensing regulations

• Schedule and supervise line (airport) and base (hangar) maintenance of aircraft

You would also be involved with estimating project costs and timescales, attending meetings, writing technical reports and manuals, and giving presentations to managers and clients.

With several years' experience as an engineer, you could work on the investigation of air accidents.

You need a comprehensive understanding of engineering licence regulations and a commitment to keeping up to date. Having European language skills might be helpful, particularly if you are working on a joint international project.

• Careers in Aerospace - careers information from the Royal Aeronautical Society and ADS Group

• WISE - inspires girls and women to study and build careers using science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)

• Tomorrow's Engineers - Careers resources for young people from Engineering UK and Royal Academy of Engineering