Aerospace structures engineer
Making structures that are strong enough and no heavier than that. The Israeli defence and aerospace industry is one of the largest technical employers in the country.
What the work actually is
You size and verify structure against static, fatigue and stability failure, chasing mass out of it the entire time. Margins are small and documented, and the analysis is checked by someone else, which makes the work rigorous and slow in a way that is either satisfying or maddening.
Composites have made the field considerably more interesting and more difficult, because the material is designed alongside the part.
Much of the work is repeat analysis as the design iterates, so tooling and automation skills quietly determine how senior you become.
The course chain
In the order worth taking them. Each one links to what it covers, when it runs and what it needs first.
- 0542-4224Mechanics of solids 2Core: solids · Semester B · 4h
- 0542-4221Introduction to theory of elasticityCore: solids · Semester B · 4h
- 0542-4222Theory of structuresDepartment electives · Not fixed · 4h
- 0542-4223Introduction to finite elementsCore: solids · Semester A · 4h
- 0542-4520Structural designDepartment electives · Not fixed · 3.5h
- 0542-4220Theory of vibrationsCore: solids · Semester A · 4h
What prepares you
Mechanics of solids 2 and Elasticity are the foundation. Theory of structures bridges hand analysis and matrices, finite elements is how it is actually done, and Structural design is where it becomes a component. Vibrations matters more than students expect, because dynamic environments size a lot of aerospace structure.
Quick answers
Which TAU courses prepare you for the Aerospace structures engineer role?
In the order worth taking them, the Tel Aviv University electives that prepare you for the Aerospace structures engineer role are: Mechanics of solids 2 (0542-4224), Introduction to theory of elasticity (0542-4221), Theory of structures (0542-4222), Introduction to finite elements (0542-4223), Structural design (0542-4520), Theory of vibrations (0542-4220).
Which software do you use in the Aerospace structures engineer role?
In the Aerospace structures engineer role you are expected to work with ANSYS Mechanical, Nastran, HyperMesh, MATLAB.
Where is the Aerospace structures engineer role done in Israel?
Israeli companies where the Aerospace structures engineer role exists include IAI, Elbit Systems, Rafael, Israel Shipyards. These are examples of where the work is done, not partners, sponsors or a placement claim.
Which interest areas lead to the Aerospace structures engineer role?
The Aerospace structures engineer role draws on these interest areas of the TAU Mechanical Engineering electives: Aeronautics and space, Structures and computational mechanics.
Closest neighbours
CFD engineer
Computational fluid dynamics, applied to anything with a fluid in it. One of the highest-demand simulation roles in Israel and one where a portfolio genuinely substitutes for experience.
Flow and thermal designAeronautics and spaceEnvironment and energy5 coursesControl and GNC engineer
Guidance, navigation and control. The most mathematical route out of a mechanical degree, and the one the Israeli defence and space industry hires most consistently.
Mechatronics and roboticsAeronautics and space5 coursesManufacturing and process engineer
Owning how the thing actually gets made, at rate and at yield. Less visible than design and considerably harder to outsource.
Mechanical designStructures and computational mechanics5 courses
The part a page cannot give you.
What the interview actually asked, which team is worth joining, who to talk to. That comes from people who have done it, which is most of what the club is for.
Join CARNOTThis is our reading of where a mechanical degree goes in Israel, written from the course content and the shape of the local market. It is judgement, not data. We do not have interview questions, salaries or hiring numbers, and we would rather say so than invent them. If you have sat one of these interviews, tell us and the page gets better.