Green Card Aircraft Engineer Jobs
Aircraft Engineer roles at U.S. airlines, defense contractors, and MRO facilities regularly qualify for EB-2 and EB-3 green card sponsorship through the PERM labor certification process. Employers file with DOL to demonstrate no qualified U.S. workers are available, then petition USCIS for permanent residency, a path that secures your long-term status rather than cycling through visa renewals.
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We are seeking a full-time Senior Aircraft Systems Engineer at Garmin's Salem, OR location. In this role, you will be responsible for providing technical leadership in development or certification of avionics installations. This position requires an aviation background.
Responsibilities
Essential Functions
- Provide leadership for the certification aspects of Garmin aircraft certification projects through coordination with the FAA, internal Garmin groups and outside customers to ensure well planned, efficient and timely aircraft systems implementation, development and FAA certification
- Serve in leadership capacity to develop and/or certify complex STCs designs including all aspects such as installation design/interconnect, safety considerations, etc.
- Create or review STC certification plans for projects, including determining affected Federal Aviation Regulations and certification basis based on similar projects
- Create or review test reports, analyses, and other compliance data for projects of medium complexity
- May serve as project lead, technical lead, or certification lead for projects of medium complexity or for complex designs that are significant redesigns of existing STC projects
- Demonstrate solid understanding of STC certification process and associated regulations
- Revise procedures/create new procedures and logically define project documentation structure
- Coordinate with outside customers to understand/meet their expectations consistently
- Coordinate internal Garmin groups to communicate, execute and meet project goals and work effectively with design/development teams to complete complex projects
- Understand design and/or certification constraints
- Provide reliable solutions to a wide range of difficult problems using sound problem solving techniques
- Serve as a mentor to less experienced aircraft systems engineers (Aircraft Systems Engineer 1 & 2)
- Provide engineering support for the development of system safety documents
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, or Computer Engineering AND a minimum of 5 years relevant experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Excellent academics (cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 3.0 as a general rule)
- Previous experience working in avionics design, installation and FAA certification
- Must be detail-oriented and work proactively and effectively with some supervision support
- Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a flexible, fast paced and challenging environment
- Demonstrated knowledge of FAA regulations applicable to avionics and flight controls certification efforts
- Demonstrated working knowledge of the FAA STC process
- Demonstrated understanding of commercial avionics interface standards and their installation
- Demonstrated clear understanding of the FAA system safety process
- Demonstrated strong and effective verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
- Demonstrated advanced knowledge in one or more of the following technical areas: Electrical Systems, Structures, Mechanical Systems, System Safety, HIRF/Lightning, and/or Aircraft Certification
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- A background with aircraft systems, aircraft maintenance or modification
- Pilot's license or Pilot-in-training
- FAA DER, Candidate DER, or previous ODA Unit Member authorization
- Prior experience in project, program, and people management
Garmin International is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, age or disability.
This position is eligible for Garmin's benefit program. Details can be found here: Garmin Benefits
Overview
We are seeking a full-time Senior Aircraft Systems Engineer at Garmin's Salem, OR location. In this role, you will be responsible for providing technical leadership in development or certification of avionics installations. This position requires an aviation background.
Responsibilities
Essential Functions
- Provide leadership for the certification aspects of Garmin aircraft certification projects through coordination with the FAA, internal Garmin groups and outside customers to ensure well planned, efficient and timely aircraft systems implementation, development and FAA certification
- Serve in leadership capacity to develop and/or certify complex STCs designs including all aspects such as installation design/interconnect, safety considerations, etc.
- Create or review STC certification plans for projects, including determining affected Federal Aviation Regulations and certification basis based on similar projects
- Create or review test reports, analyses, and other compliance data for projects of medium complexity
- May serve as project lead, technical lead, or certification lead for projects of medium complexity or for complex designs that are significant redesigns of existing STC projects
- Demonstrate solid understanding of STC certification process and associated regulations
- Revise procedures/create new procedures and logically define project documentation structure
- Coordinate with outside customers to understand/meet their expectations consistently
- Coordinate internal Garmin groups to communicate, execute and meet project goals and work effectively with design/development teams to complete complex projects
- Understand design and/or certification constraints
- Provide reliable solutions to a wide range of difficult problems using sound problem solving techniques
- Serve as a mentor to less experienced aircraft systems engineers (Aircraft Systems Engineer 1 & 2)
- Provide engineering support for the development of system safety documents
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, or Computer Engineering AND a minimum of 5 years relevant experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Excellent academics (cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 3.0 as a general rule)
- Previous experience working in avionics design, installation and FAA certification
- Must be detail-oriented and work proactively and effectively with some supervision support
- Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a flexible, fast paced and challenging environment
- Demonstrated knowledge of FAA regulations applicable to avionics and flight controls certification efforts
- Demonstrated working knowledge of the FAA STC process
- Demonstrated understanding of commercial avionics interface standards and their installation
- Demonstrated clear understanding of the FAA system safety process
- Demonstrated strong and effective verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
- Demonstrated advanced knowledge in one or more of the following technical areas: Electrical Systems, Structures, Mechanical Systems, System Safety, HIRF/Lightning, and/or Aircraft Certification
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- A background with aircraft systems, aircraft maintenance or modification
- Pilot's license or Pilot-in-training
- FAA DER, Candidate DER, or previous ODA Unit Member authorization
- Prior experience in project, program, and people management
Garmin International is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, age or disability.
This position is eligible for Garmin's benefit program. Details can be found here: Garmin Benefits
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Green Card Sponsorship as an Aircraft Engineer
Align your credentials with PERM requirements
PERM requires your foreign engineering degree to match the minimum requirements listed in the job description. Get your credentials evaluated by a NACES-recognized agency before applying, so your qualifications map cleanly to the DOL-defined role requirements.
Target MRO facilities and defense contractors
Maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities and FAA-regulated defense contractors sponsor green cards far more consistently than general aviation employers. These organizations have established immigration programs and regularly file PERM applications for aircraft engineering roles.
Use OFLC Wage Search to benchmark your offer
Your employer must pay at least the prevailing wage DOL certifies for your specific SOC code and work location. Use OFLC Wage Search before negotiations to know what wage tier your role should command, a below-Level-II offer can delay PERM certification.
Find sponsoring employers through Migrate Mate
Identifying employers with active green card filing history for aircraft engineering roles saves months of misdirected outreach. Use Migrate Mate to filter companies by PERM filing activity, so you target employers who have already navigated the DOL certification process for your occupation.
Clarify EB-2 vs EB-3 eligibility before your offer letter
If your role requires only a bachelor's degree, most employers will file EB-3. If you hold a master's or your position requires advanced specialized knowledge, push for an EB-2 petition, which can mean shorter priority date wait times for certain nationalities.
Confirm your employer files I-140 concurrently with PERM
Some employers wait for PERM certification before filing the I-140 petition with USCIS, adding months to your timeline. Negotiate concurrent filing in writing during the offer stage, especially if you're from a country with a priority date backlog.
Green Card Aircraft Engineer: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Aircraft Engineer roles qualify for EB-2 or EB-3 green card sponsorship?
Most aircraft engineering positions qualify for EB-3 sponsorship as skilled workers or professionals requiring a bachelor's degree. Roles requiring an advanced degree or involving specialized research and design work may qualify for EB-2. Your employer determines the category based on the actual minimum requirements of the position, not your personal qualifications.
How does PERM green card sponsorship differ from H-1B for Aircraft Engineers?
H-1B visa is a temporary nonimmigrant status capped at 85,000 per year and subject to an annual lottery. PERM-based green card sponsorship has no annual cap at the petition level and leads to permanent residency. The tradeoff is timeline: PERM labor certification alone takes several months, and priority date backlogs vary by nationality. The outcome, however, is permanent status rather than a renewable temporary visa.
Which employers regularly sponsor Aircraft Engineers for green cards?
FAA-certificated repair stations, commercial airlines, and defense contractors with large aviation programs tend to have established PERM filing practices for aircraft engineering roles. Employers that already sponsor H-1B workers are generally more prepared to navigate PERM labor certification. Use Migrate Mate to search for employers with documented green card filing history specifically for aviation and engineering occupations.
What documents do I need to support my Aircraft Engineer green card application?
You'll need a foreign credential evaluation confirming your engineering degree meets U.S. equivalency standards, professional licenses or FAA certifications relevant to the role, employment verification letters covering your years of experience, and a certified job description that matches the PERM application exactly. DOL and USCIS review both the role requirements and your qualifications together, so consistency across all documents is critical.
How long does the Aircraft Engineer green card process typically take?
The full process usually spans two to four years from PERM filing to receiving your green card, though this varies significantly by nationality. PERM labor certification currently averages several months at DOL. USCIS then adjudicates the I-140 petition, and if your priority date is current, you can file for adjustment of status. Nationals from countries with high EB-2 and EB-3 demand may face longer waits due to annual per-country visa limits.