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Aircraft Structure Assembler

Aviation

Assemble, fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as tails, wings, fuselage, bulkheads, stabilizers, landing gear, rigging and control equipment, or heating and ventilating systems.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

AviationMechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Assemble parts, fittings, or subassemblies on aircraft, using layout tools, hand tools, power tools, or fasteners, such as bolts, screws, rivets, or clamps.
  2. 2Set, align, adjust, or synchronize aircraft armament or rigging or control system components to established tolerances or requirements, using sighting devices and hand tools.
  3. 3Read blueprints, illustrations, or specifications to determine layouts, sequences of operations, or identities or relationships of parts.
  4. 4Attach brackets, hinges, or clips to secure or support components or subassemblies, using bolts, screws, rivets, chemical bonding, or welding.
  5. 5Join structural assemblies, such as wings, tails, or fuselage.
  6. 6Position and align subassemblies in jigs or fixtures, using measuring instruments and following blueprint lines and index points.
  7. 7Inspect or test installed units, parts, systems, or assemblies for fit, alignment, performance, defects, or compliance with standards, using measuring instruments or test equipment.
  8. 8Adjust, repair, rework, or replace parts or assemblies to ensure proper operation.
  9. 9Cut, trim, file, bend, or smooth parts to ensure proper fit and clearance.
  10. 10Layout and mark reference points and locations for installation of parts or components, using jigs, templates, or measuring and marking instruments.
  11. 11Fabricate parts needed for assembly or installation, using shop machinery or equipment.
  12. 12Assemble prototypes or integrated-technology demonstrators of new or emerging environmental technologies for aircraft.
  13. 13Manually install structural assemblies or signal crane operators to position assemblies for joining.
  14. 14Align, fit, assemble, connect, or install system components, using jigs, fixtures, measuring instruments, hand tools, or power tools.
  15. 15Clean, oil, or coat system components, as necessary, before assembly or attachment.
  16. 16Assemble prefabricated parts to form subassemblies.
  17. 17Set up or operate machines or systems to crimp, cut, bend, form, swage, flare, bead, burr, or straighten tubing, according to specifications.
  18. 18Place and connect control cables to electronically controlled units, using hand tools, ring locks, cotter keys, threaded connectors, turnbuckles, or related devices.
  19. 19Install mechanical linkages and actuators, using tensiometers to verify tension of cables.
  20. 20Clean aircraft structures, parts, or components, using aqueous, semi-aqueous, aliphatic hydrocarbon, or organic solvent cleaning products or techniques to reduce carbon or other harmful emissions.
  21. 21Install accessories in swaging machines, using hand tools.
  22. 22Mark identifying information on tubing or cable assemblies, using etching devices, labels, rubber stamps, or other methods.
  23. 23Verify dimensions of cable assemblies or positions of fittings, using measuring instruments.
  24. 24Weld tubing and fittings or solder cable ends, using tack welders, induction brazing chambers, or other equipment.
  25. 25Fit and fasten sheet metal coverings to surface areas or other sections of aircraft prior to welding or riveting.
  26. 26Capture or segregate waste material, such as aluminum swarf, machine cutting fluid, or solvents, for recycling or environmentally responsible disposal.
  27. 27Cut cables and tubing, using master templates, measuring instruments, and cable cutters or saws.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • SMAR
  • Assembler
  • Installer
  • Shroudman
  • Body Liner
  • Body Joiner
  • Body Worker
  • Rib Builder
  • Skin Fitter
  • Tab Builder

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Mathematics70%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Education and Training69%
  • Mechanical69%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • English Language69%

    English

  • Production and Processing68%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Design68%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsAlmost never
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

0%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Welder

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org