Head of Aerostructure: Salary and Responsibilities in 2026

The Head of Aerostructure is a key technical and managerial leader in the aerospace and space industries.
They oversee the design, production, and quality of aircraft structures: fuselage, wings, tail unit, landing gear, doors, and more.
Their role is to guarantee mechanical performance, safety, and production cost optimization for these critical components.

Job profile last updated on 09/06/2026.

What is their role in the company?

The Head of Aerostructure leads the entire value chain related to aircraft structures, from design to assembly, including certification.
They act as the interface between engineering, production, quality, and program teams, with a dual mission:

• guaranteeing the technical robustness of parts,
• ensuring schedule and industrial cost adherence.

They can work at OEMs (Airbus, Dassault, Embraer, etc.), suppliers, or specialized engineering firms.

Main missions of the Head of Aerostructure

• Oversee the design and validation of aerospace structures (calculations, materials, assemblies, tolerances).
• Coordinate R&D, design, and production teams to ensure product compliance.
• Manage subcontractors and industrial partners (composite manufacturing, metallurgy, assembly, maintenance).
• Optimize manufacturing processes: automation, digitalization, quality, cost reduction.
• Ensure certification and regulatory compliance (EASA, FAA, DOA/POA).
• Manage technical teams: structure engineers, stress engineers, design engineers, quality, and production.
• Track industrial performance and the innovation roadmap.

Key skills

Technical skills:

• In-depth knowledge of composite and metallic materials
• Mastery of CAD/CAM tools (CATIA, Siemens NX, etc.)
• Expertise in structural calculation and material strength
• Strong understanding of aerospace industrial processes
• Knowledge of aerospace certification standards

Soft skills:

• Leadership and cross-functional management
• Strategic vision and industrial sense
• Ability to arbitrate technical and budget trade-offs
• Excellent communication across business teams

What tools & environments do they use?

• CAD / CAM: CATIA V5, Siemens NX, SolidWorks
• Simulation tools: NASTRAN, ANSYS, HyperWorks
• PLM / ERP: Windchill, 3DEXPERIENCE, SAP
• Project management tools: Jira, MS Project, Confluence
• Lean, Six Sigma, APQP, DOA/POA methodologies

Training to become a Head of Aerostructure

The Head of Aerostructure typically holds an engineering degree with a specialization in:

• Mechanical or aerospace engineering
• Composite materials or structures
• Industrial production / quality

Typical paths: ISAE-SUPAERO, ENSMA, INSA, Arts et Métiers, Centrale, Polytech, ESTACA, and more.
Significant experience (10 to 15 years) in aerospace design or production is essential.

Compensation

The Head of Aerostructure's salary varies by company size and geographic location:

• Mid-level profile (8–12 years of experience): 85K€ – 110K€
• Senior profile / team manager: 110K€ – 150K€
• Aerostructures / industry director: 150K€ – 200K€+

Possible career paths

• Director of Engineering
• Head of Manufacturing / Industrial Director
• Program Manager (aerospace / space)

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FAQ about the Head of Aerostructure role

What exactly is a Head of Aerostructure?

The Head of Aerostructure is a senior technical and managerial leader responsible for all aircraft structures within an OEM, supplier, or engineering firm. They oversee the design, production, and certification of primary structures (fuselage, wings, tail unit, landing gear), simultaneously ensuring mechanical robustness, EASA/FAA regulatory compliance, and industrial cost optimisation. It is a rare profile, typically requiring 10 to 15 years of experience in the aerospace sector.

What is the salary of a Head of Aerostructure in France in 2026?

A mid-level Head of Aerostructure (8–12 years of experience) earns between €85,000 and €110,000 gross per year. A senior profile with significant managerial responsibilities reaches €110,000 to €150,000. A Director of Aerostructures or industrial director can exceed €150,000 to €200,000+. Compensation varies depending on the size of the organisation (large group vs. SME), geographic location, and the complexity of the managerial scope.

What technical skills are essential for a Head of Aerostructure?

Key technical competencies: deep knowledge of composite and metallic materials used in aerospace structures, mastery of CAD tools (CATIA V5, Siemens NX), expertise in structural calculation and material strength, knowledge of simulation tools (NASTRAN, ANSYS, HyperWorks) and PLM systems (Windchill, 3DEXPERIENCE). Knowledge of aerospace certification standards (EASA CS-25, FAA Part 25) and DOA/POA requirements is essential to operate within a certified design organisation.

What certifications and standards must a Head of Aerostructure know?

Mandatory regulatory frameworks: EASA CS-25 (airworthiness of commercial aircraft), FAA Part 25 (US equivalent), DOA (Design Organisation Approval) and POA (Production Organisation Approval) standards. On the industrial methods side: APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning), Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and the EN 9100 quality standard (aerospace equivalent of ISO 9001). The PART 21 certification is particularly valued for profiles working in design engineering offices.

What training is needed to become a Head of Aerostructure?

The typical path goes through an engineering school specialising in aerospace or mechanical engineering: ISAE-SUPAERO, ENSMA, Arts et Métiers, INSA, CentraleSupélec, ESTACA, or Polytech. A specialisation in composite materials, structures, or industrial production is highly valued. Experience outweighs credentials: an engineer with 10–15 years of hands-on experience (structural R&D, production, certification) is more valued than an academic profile without deep operational experience in the aerospace sector.

What types of companies employ a Head of Aerostructure?

Main employers: major OEMs (Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Safran, Embraer, Boeing), Tier 1 suppliers (Spirit AeroSystems, Premium AEROTEC, Stelia Aerospace), specialist engineering firms (Akka Technologies, Alten, Sogeclair Aerospace, Assystem), and SMEs in the aerospace supply chain. The space sector (ArianeGroup, Thales Alenia Space) also recruits these profiles for the design of launcher and satellite structures.

What is the difference between Head of Aerostructure and Director of Engineering?

The Head of Aerostructure specialises in the scope of aerospace structures (fuselage, wings, tail units) and manages the technical value chain for these specific components. The Director of Engineering has a broader scope: they oversee all engineering for a programme or business unit (structures, systems, avionics, propulsion). In practice, the Head of Aerostructure is typically one level below the Director of Engineering and reports directly to them in large organisations.

What career paths can a Head of Aerostructure evolve toward?

The most common evolutions: Director of Engineering (expanded scope across all programme engineering), Head of Manufacturing / Industrial Director (shift toward production and industrialisation), Program Manager (full management of an aerospace programme with its technical, budget, and customer constraints). Some profiles move into aerospace engineering consulting or take on VP Engineering responsibilities at SMEs or startups in the aerospace sector.