H-1B Visa Aircraft Engineer Jobs
Aircraft Engineer roles qualify as H-1B specialty occupations under USCIS criteria, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or a directly related engineering field. Defense contractors, commercial aviation firms, and MRO operators are among the most active H-1B sponsors for this occupation.
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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 H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an Aircraft Engineer
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation
USCIS requires your degree field to directly relate to aircraft engineering work. An aerospace or mechanical engineering degree maps cleanly, but a general engineering degree may trigger an RFE asking your employer to justify the connection.
Check LCA filings by occupation code
DOL assigns Aircraft Engineers to SOC code 17-2011. Search the OFLC Wage Search using that code to identify which employers filed Labor Condition Applications recently, giving you a verified list of active H-1B sponsors in this field.
Target defense contractors with established sponsorship
Large aerospace and defense primes hold existing immigration counsel relationships and process H-1B petitions routinely. Prioritize employers whose job postings reference security clearance sponsorship, as they're accustomed to navigating complex government compliance alongside visa filings.
Use Migrate Mate to filter verified sponsors
Pull up Aircraft Engineer roles on Migrate Mate and filter by employers with confirmed H-1B LCA filing history. This cuts hours of manual OFLC research and surfaces active sponsors sorted by role and location.
Request premium processing before your start date
USCIS standard processing can run three to five months. If your offer letter sets a firm start date, ask your employer to include premium processing in the I-129 filing to get a decision within 15 business days and avoid delaying onboarding.
Clarify security clearance timing with your offer
Many aircraft engineering roles require a U.S. security clearance, which only processes after your H-1B is approved. Negotiate a conditional start arrangement so the clearance investigation can begin from day one rather than after visa adjudication.
Aircraft Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Aircraft Engineer JobsAircraft Engineer H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Aircraft Engineer role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. USCIS defines specialty occupation as a role requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Aircraft engineering positions typically require aerospace, mechanical, or systems engineering degrees, which satisfies this standard. Employers document this through the Labor Condition Application and I-129 petition, citing the O*NET profile and internal job requirements as supporting evidence.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Aircraft Engineers?
Defense primes, commercial aircraft manufacturers, MRO operators, avionics firms, and FAA-certificated repair stations are the most consistent H-1B sponsors for this role. You can browse Aircraft Engineer positions at verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate, which surfaces employers with confirmed DOL LCA filing history so you're not guessing at sponsorship willingness.
Can I work as an Aircraft Engineer while my H-1B petition is pending?
If you're transitioning from F-1 OPT or STEM OPT, cap-gap protection may extend your work authorization while a timely-filed H-1B petition is pending. If you're already on H-1B status and changing employers, you can begin work with the new sponsor as soon as USCIS receives the portability petition, without waiting for approval.
Do security clearance requirements affect my H-1B eligibility?
Security clearances don't affect H-1B eligibility directly, but they create a sequencing issue. Clearances require U.S. government sponsorship and can only be initiated after you're onboarded. Employers offering clearance-required Aircraft Engineer roles typically structure your initial work on unclassified tasks while the investigation runs, which can take six months to over a year depending on clearance level.
How does the prevailing wage requirement work for Aircraft Engineer H-1B filings?
Before filing the H-1B petition, your employer files an LCA certifying your offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for Aircraft Engineers in your work location. DOL sets these wages using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, tiered by experience level. You can look up the applicable wage for your location and experience tier using the OFLC Wage Search before accepting an offer.
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