Avionics Electrical Technician
The civilian and federal jobs that hire Coast Guard Avionics Electrical Technicians — with real salaries and the resume that gets callbacks.
Every AET has more options than a Google search will tell you. Below: career paths, BLS salary data, federal GS series, certifications by target career, and how to translate your experience without losing what made you valuable to the Coast Guard in the first place.
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After the Navy I got hired into 6 federal career fields and tech sales, and sat on federal hiring panels along the way. I spent the last 2 years rebuilding everything I learned into BMR, tuned for how AI actually screens resumes today. This is the system I wish I'd had on day one.
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Military Role Overview
Coast Guard Avionics Electrical Technicians (AET) maintain, troubleshoot, and repair the electrical and avionics systems on Coast Guard rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. This includes flight instrument systems, autopilot, radar altimeters, navigation suites, communication radios, weather radar, FLIR/EO sensor turrets, and mission-specific electronics such as direction-finding equipment used in search and rescue.
AETs complete the Avionics Electrical Technician 'A' School at the Coast Guard Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina — roughly 26 weeks of hands-on instruction covering AC/DC circuits, digital electronics, aircraft wiring, avionics test equipment, and Coast Guard-specific airframe systems including the MH-60 Jayhawk and HC-130 Hercules. Advanced AETs may attend manufacturer-specific courses for integrated avionics suites, glass cockpit upgrades, and encrypted communications systems.
What separates AETs from civilian avionics technicians is the operational tempo and breadth of responsibility. Coast Guard aircraft fly search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, environmental protection, and homeland security missions — often in severe weather and at night. AETs troubleshoot systems between flights, in the hangar, and occasionally on the flight line at remote air stations from Kodiak, Alaska to Clearwater, Florida. That combination of depth across multiple aircraft systems and the ability to diagnose problems under operational pressure is what makes AETs valuable to civilian employers.
AETs sit at the intersection of aviation maintenance and electrical systems — translating to FAA A&P licensing, federal electronics technician roles, and DoD aviation programs. I worked across federal hiring on the engineering side and CG AETs land at NOAA Aviation, FAA, and major airframer roles when the resume captures both the troubleshooting depth and systems-level work. — Brad Tachi, Navy Diver veteran & BMR founder
Pay Reality Check
The number that matters when you're deciding what's next: how does civilian pay compare to what you make now?
Military comp is approximate (varies by location/dependents). Civilian is BLS median. Federal includes locality pay. Your real number depends on duty station, family status, GS step, and overtime.
Private Sector Career Paths
AETs have some of the most directly transferable skills in the Coast Guard. The commercial aviation and aerospace industries need avionics technicians, and the pipeline of qualified technicians has not kept up with fleet growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median annual wage of $75,400 (May 2024, O*NET 49-3011.00), with avionics technicians earning a median of $75,710 (49-2091.00). Employment for avionics technicians is projected to grow 7%, faster than average.
AETs who earned their FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate — or who qualify based on 18+ months of documented military aviation maintenance experience — can go directly into civilian avionics shops. For those targeting MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities, your experience troubleshooting integrated avionics suites across multiple airframes is exactly what they are hiring for. The HC-130 and MH-60 platforms share systems with civilian variants, which makes the technical knowledge transfer nearly seamless.
Beyond traditional aviation, the defense electronics sector and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry are growing rapidly. AETs with experience in radar, FLIR, and encrypted communication systems have skill sets that transfer directly into defense contractor positions for sensor integration, electronic warfare test, and avionics engineering support.
Civilian Job Title Translations
| Civilian Job Title | Industry | BLS Median Salary | Outlook | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Avionics Technician O*NET: 49-2091.00 | Aerospace / Aviation | $75,710 | Faster than average (7%) | strong |
Aircraft Mechanic / Service Technician O*NET: 49-3011.00 | Aviation / MRO | $75,400 | About as fast as average (6%) | strong |
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologist O*NET: 17-3023.00 | Manufacturing / Defense / Aerospace | $72,800 | Little or no change | strong |
Electrical and Electronics Repairer, Commercial/Industrial O*NET: 49-2094.00 | Manufacturing / Utilities / Defense | $66,830 | Little or no change (-1%) | moderate |
Telecommunications Equipment Installer O*NET: 49-2022.00 | Telecommunications / IT | $61,740 | Decline (-7%) | moderate |
Electrical Power-Line Installer/Repairer O*NET: 49-9051.00 | Utilities / Energy | $85,560 | About as fast as average (7%) | moderate |
Computer Network Support Specialist O*NET: 15-1231.00 | IT / Defense / Government | $62,760 | About as fast as average (6%) | moderate |
Quality Control Inspector O*NET: 51-9061.00 | Manufacturing / Aerospace / Defense | $45,640 | Little or no change (-5%) | moderate |
Companies That Hire This Background
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Federal Career Paths
The federal government is one of the largest employers of aviation electronics and electrical talent. AETs should look well beyond the obvious FAA positions — agencies across the DoD, DHS, and DOT need people who can maintain, inspect, and manage complex electronic systems.
The Electronics Technician series (GS-0856) is the most direct match and covers positions at FAA maintenance facilities, military depots, and DHS aviation units. But AETs also qualify for Electrical Engineering Technician (GS-0802) roles, particularly those involving systems integration and test. For AETs with IT-adjacent experience — network-enabled avionics, encrypted data links, software-defined radios — the Information Technology Management series (GS-2210) opens up positions across every federal agency.
Safety-oriented AETs can target Safety Management (GS-0018) and Safety Technician (GS-0019) positions, especially at agencies with aviation operations. Quality Assurance Specialist (GS-1910) roles at defense maintenance depots are strong matches for AETs who performed aircraft acceptance inspections or quality control. Equipment Specialist (GS-1670) and Industrial Specialist (GS-1150) positions align with the depot-level maintenance and supply chain side of the house.
Veterans' Preference gives you 5 or 10 additional points on federal hiring assessments. Apply to positions at or below GS-11 initially where preference has the strongest impact, and start building your USAJobs profile at least six months before separation.
GS Series & Position Matches
| GS Series | Federal Job Title | Typical Grades | Match | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-0856 | Electronics Technician | GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 | View Details → | |
| GS-2210 | Information Technology Management | GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-0802 | Engineering Technician | GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 | View Details → | |
| GS-0855 | Electronics Engineering | GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-0850 | Electrical Engineering | GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-0018 | Safety and Occupational Health Management | GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 | View Details → | |
| GS-0019 | Safety Technician | GS-7, GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-0301 | Miscellaneous Administration and Program | GS-7, GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-1910 | Quality Assurance | GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → | |
| GS-1550 | Computer Science | GS-9, GS-11 | View Details → |
Federal resumes follow different rules. We know them.
Federal hiring uses keyword-matching and structured experience. BMR builds federal-format resumes (USAJobs-ready) with the right keywords, hours/week, and supervisor info — for any GS series above.
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Want to Change Careers Entirely?
Not everyone wants to stay in a related field. These career paths leverage your transferable skills — leadership, risk management, logistics, project planning — in completely different industries.
Air Traffic Controller
An AET already lives inside aircraft nav, comms, and radar systems and operates where a mistake is not survivable. Controlling traffic is the operations side of that same aviation world, trading the toolbox for the scope.
Power Plant Operator
Reading a control room full of electrical and instrumentation data and reacting before a fault cascades is exactly the situational skill an AET uses troubleshooting aircraft power and sensor systems.
Wind Turbine Service Technician
Turbines are essentially electrical-mechanical systems packed with sensors and controllers, diagnosed by one technician working alone in a tough environment. An AET who isolated faults on a flight line already has the core skill.
Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer
Modern elevators run on electrical controls, sensors, and safety logic. The fault-isolation discipline an AET uses on aircraft electrical systems transfers directly into a high-paying unionized trade.
Medical Equipment Repairer
Biomedical equipment is dense electronics that has to work right when a life depends on it, the same standard an AET holds for aircraft systems. The troubleshooting method carries over from the flight line to the hospital floor.
Solar Photovoltaic Installer
Photovoltaic systems are DC and AC electrical work end to end, from wiring panels to commissioning inverters. An AET who built and tested aircraft electrical circuits has the foundation already.
Pivoting industries? You don't need to start from scratch.
The skills that made you a good Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Soldier transfer further than you think. BMR rewrites your bullets for any of the pivot careers above — without making you sound like you've never done the work.
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Skills Translation Guide
If you are applying to avionics shops, MRO facilities, or defense electronics companies, your terminology translates directly — they know what FLIR means, they know what a wire bundle is, they know what an avionics bench check looks like. This section is for AETs targeting careers outside of aviation and electronics — project management, operations, corporate technical roles, or any position where the hiring manager has never seen an aircraft maintenance log.
Resume Bullet Examples
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Certifications by Career Path
Which certifications you need depends on where you're headed. Find your target career path below.
Aviation Maintenance
Cybersecurity
Operations Management
Project Management
Safety & EHS
Got a cert? Don't bury it. List it the right way.
The wrong placement can sink an otherwise strong application. BMR knows where each cert ranks, what to call it, and how to frame it for ATS keyword matching and hiring manager attention.
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Transition Resources
For Staying in Aviation & Electronics
FAA A&P Certificate: If you have 18+ months of documented military aircraft maintenance experience, you may qualify for the FAA Airframe & Powerplant certificate by completing the military competency exam administered by a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME). The FAA's mechanic certification page details the process and requirements. Do not pay for A&P school if you can test directly — verify your eligibility first.
SkillBridge Programs: Several MRO companies and defense contractors participate in DOD SkillBridge, allowing AETs to work civilian aviation jobs during their last 180 days of service. Search the SkillBridge database for current openings. Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, and Textron Aviation have historically participated.
Industry Associations: The Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) provides networking, job boards, and scholarship opportunities for avionics professionals. AEA membership is valuable for connecting with avionics shops and OEMs.
For Careers Outside of Aviation
Project Management: The PMP certification (PMI) is the gold standard for transitioning into project management. Your experience managing aircraft maintenance schedules, coordinating with supply chains, and leading maintenance teams counts toward the experience requirement. Cost: ~$555 (PMI member) for the exam.
IT & Cybersecurity: If your avionics work included network-enabled systems or encrypted communications, the CompTIA Security+ certification is a strong entry point into federal and defense IT roles. Many DoD positions require it under DoD 8570/8140 compliance.
Federal Employment (USAJobs): Create your USAJobs profile immediately. Key agencies for AETs: FAA, USCG Civilian, DHS, NAVAIR, AFSC depots, and NASA. Federal resumes are 2 pages max. Build yours here.
Veteran Networking: American Corporate Partners (ACP) provides free mentorship from corporate executives — you get paired with someone in your target industry. Completely free for veterans.
Education Benefits: Many certification exam fees and prep courses are covered by the GI Bill. Use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to verify program approval before enrolling.
Clearance Leverage: If you hold an active Secret or higher clearance, that has real market value. ClearanceJobs.com lists positions requiring active clearances. Don't let yours lapse during transition — it stays active for up to 24 months after separation.
BMR Career Resources
Coast Guard Resume Guide | Complete Military Resume Guide | Top Companies Hiring Veterans | Build Your Resume Free
Your 30 / 60 / 90-Day Transition Plan
Most people do this backwards. They wait until terminal leave to start, then panic. Here's the sequence that works. Already out? Same plan, start at day one today.
Set the foundation
- Pull your DD-214 (request from Milconnect if separated)
- List your top 3 civilian roles AND top 3 GS series
- Build your tailored AET resume — BMR does it free
- Write 1 strong LinkedIn headline (not "veteran seeking opportunities")
- Pull together your evals/performance reports for accomplishments
Apply with intent
- Apply to 5–10 jobs/week — quality over quantity
- Tailor every resume to the job description (BMR auto-tailors)
- Connect with 5 people/week on LinkedIn (not a spray)
- Set up a USAJobs profile and a saved-search alert for your GS series
- Practice translating your military bullets out loud — explain to a civilian friend
Close the offer
- Track every application — date, status, contact, notes
- Follow up 7–10 days after each application
- Prep for behavioral interviews using the STAR method
- Negotiate salary — don't take the first offer (BLS median is your floor)
- Stay applying even after one offer — leverage = options
Print this. Tape it to your monitor. Veterans who treat the job search like a 90-day op get hired faster than the ones who treat it like an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an FAA A&P certificate to work as a civilian avionics technician?
What is the median salary for avionics technicians?
What if I want to leave aviation entirely?
Is my security clearance valuable outside the military?
How does Veterans Preference work for federal jobs?
Should I use my GI Bill for a degree or certifications?
What certifications should I get before separating?
Where are the best job markets for former AETs?
Can I start job searching while still on active duty?
How do Coast Guard AET skills compare to Navy AT/AE ratings?
Translate your AET Avionics Electrical Technician experience into a resume that gets callbacks
Stop rewriting from scratch every time you apply. BMR turns your military experience into civilian and federal resumes — tailored to each job.