Top 10 Aircraft Design Engineer Interview Questions
1. Why do you want a career as an aircraft design engineer?
List of Aircraft Design Engineer Interview Questions
- Why do you want a career as an aircraft design engineer?
- What area of engineering do you find most challenging?
- What engineering skills have you developed or improved upon during the past year?
- What single project or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your career so far?
- Describe a time when you used your engineering knowledge to solve a problem for which there appeared to be no answer.
- What are you doing to keep current in technology?
- What do you feel is the most important skill an aircraft design engineer should possess?
- Considering the investment our company will do to prepare you professionally, can you give us a reason to hire you?
- How do you evaluate success?
- What was your biggest disappointment as an aircraft design engineer?
- What was your greatest accomplishment as an aircraft design engineer?
- Tell me about the most challenging engineering project that you have been involved with during past year.
Aircraft Design Engineer Information
May 4th, 2017
Aircraft design engineers design systems, subsystems, and components of an aircraft, usually focusing on specific areas such as the airframe, structural components, or the avionics. They ensure that the designs meet standards for performance and safety. As an aircraft design engineer, you may be asked to use a combination of software, hand calculation, and engineering methodologies to prepare, review, and approve designs, as well as document them for purposes of audits and regulatory approval. A bachelor's degree in engineering is required, and most employers prefer concentrations in mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering, as well as relevant accreditations.
Job openings for aircraft design engineers can be found on the career sites of aviation and aerospace companies, as well as through typical channels like online job boards such as Indeed and CareerBuilder. Vacancies can also be found through college career centers.
The interview will assess you on your technical knowledge as well as your practical experience in applying that knowledge to the real world. You'll be asked about your prior work experience so that the interviewer can judge whether your experience matches their needs. For instance, the company may require someone with experience in commercial aircraft design. Communication skills will also be key because you may be expected to give reports to both internal and external parties.
To prepare for an interview for an aircraft design engineer, take stock of your professional experience and think of the most difficult projects that you worked on and how you overcame those challenges. Be prepared to lay out your problem-solving methodology by defining the information you consider, the actions you took according to that information, and what you did in reaction to the outcome. Another important aspect where you can gain a competitive advantage is in project management. Think about ways to demonstrate your time management skills. What information do you consider when prioritizing tasks? What actions do you take to ensure that projects are completed on time? Finally, work on your presentation skills to show that you can communicate clearly.
Aircraft design engineers design systems, subsystems, and components of an aircraft, usually focusing on specific areas such as the airframe, structural components, or the avionics. They ensure that the designs meet standards for performance and safety. As an aircraft design engineer, you may be asked to use a combination of software, hand calculation, and engineering methodologies to prepare, review, and approve designs, as well as document them for purposes of audits and regulatory approval. A bachelor's degree in engineering is required, and most employers prefer concentrations in mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering, as well as relevant accreditations.
Job openings for aircraft design engineers can be found on the career sites of aviation and aerospace companies, as well as through typical channels like online job boards such as Indeed and CareerBuilder. Vacancies can also be found through college career centers.
The interview will assess you on your technical knowledge as well as your practical experience in applying that knowledge to the real world. You'll be asked about your prior work experience so that the interviewer can judge whether your experience matches their needs. For instance, the company may require someone with experience in commercial aircraft design. Communication skills will also be key because you may be expected to give reports to both internal and external parties.
To prepare for an interview for an aircraft design engineer, take stock of your professional experience and think of the most difficult projects that you worked on and how you overcame those challenges. Be prepared to lay out your problem-solving methodology by defining the information you consider, the actions you took according to that information, and what you did in reaction to the outcome. Another important aspect where you can gain a competitive advantage is in project management. Think about ways to demonstrate your time management skills. What information do you consider when prioritizing tasks? What actions do you take to ensure that projects are completed on time? Finally, work on your presentation skills to show that you can communicate clearly.
Aircraft Design Engineer User Submitted Interview Answers
Question
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1 of 12
Why do you want a career as an aircraft design engineer?
Question
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2 of 12
What area of engineering do you find most challenging?
Question
3 of 12
3 of 12
What engineering skills have you developed or improved upon during the past year?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I have been studying coding languages, composites, Wind turbine technology.
Question
4 of 12
4 of 12
What single project or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your career so far?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
My project work in the previous company where I worked. We worked on the certification of wing components of a new aircraft. The contribution that I have given to that project was substantial. And I would say I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge from it.
Question
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5 of 12
Describe a time when you used your engineering knowledge to solve a problem for which there appeared to be no answer.
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
The problem we encountered was an FE problem. The standard boundary conditions used for the problem were not giving correct results especially for the micro analysis required for fatigue. A more substantially detailed FE model was required with different boundary condition to replicate the real life scenario for that component.
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6 of 12
What are you doing to keep current in technology?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I am currently self studying composite structure analysis and fatigue crack analysis.
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7 of 12
What do you feel is the most important skill an aircraft design engineer should possess?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
An aircraft engineer should possess foresight and patience. We encounter a lot of difficulties in our work quite a lot of them can be avoided if the preparations are done in a more detailed and organized manner. Patience is to not get emotions bundled up on not getting expected results.
Question
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8 of 12
Considering the investment our company will do to prepare you professionally, can you give us a reason to hire you?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I have substantially more experience than freshers in aviation technology sector compared to freshers. And my grasping abilities were very good which was noted by my employers in the past and I was recognized for this by the couple of achievements award given to me for the extra contribution to the work. My previous employment has improved my skills set and also work ethics Hence I believe I can contribute substantially more towards the growth of the company.
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9 of 12
How do you evaluate success?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Success is achieving daily targets you have set for yourself.
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10 of 12
What was your biggest disappointment as an aircraft design engineer?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
Career opportunities are very scarce in aviation sector also most Indian companies still prefer mechanical engineers over aeronautical to reduce costs.
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11 of 12
What was your greatest accomplishment as an aircraft design engineer?
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I had worked on preliminary design for MLG support structure for an aircraft. One of the components would not clear the analysis and required design changes. On the subsequent brain storming sessions conducted with the clients I suggested a change to the component which significantly changed the deformation patterns and allowed the component to clear.
Question
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12 of 12
Tell me about the most challenging engineering project that you have been involved with during past year.
User Submitted Interview Answers
1.
I have not worked on projects as such in the past year. But as self improvement I have been trying to learn coding to develop tools for myself. It has been quite challenging.