Peter Sharpe

Technical Writing
Ex. 1, pg. 416
Prompt: Browse a job-search website such as Indeed.com. Then, list and
briefly describe five positions being offered in a field that interests you. What
skills, experience, and background does each position require? What is the
salary range for each position?
A search on Indeed.com quickly yielded five positions being offered in a field
that interests me. The positions are listed below in no particular order, along
with some relevant information taken directly from each listing.
Senior Real Time Simulation Engineer, F-22 at Boeing in St. Louis,
MO
o Description
Software engineering position with the Avionics Simulation
team of the F-22 program.
o Skills
Familiarity with integrated avionics systems
Installation of simulation systems in test labs
Real-time embedded software development
o Experience
The listing requests 9 years of experience with a
Bachelors, 7 years of experience with a Masters, or 4
years of experience with a PhD.
The listing gives preference to those with backgrounds in
Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical
Engineering, or Aerospace Engineering.
o Salary
Not listed; Glassdoor estimates ~$114k/yr.
Propulsion Components Engineer at SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA
o Description
Mechanical engineering position with the fluid control
devices team in the propulsion division.
o Skills
Working knowledge of valves, regulators, burst disks,
temperature sensors, and other fluid components
Strong fundamental understanding of launch vehicle and
spacecraft fluid systems
Hands-on experience with fluid and gas handling systems
o Experience
The listing requests a Bachelors degree in Mechanical or
Aerospace Engineering, with preference given to those with
a Masters degree.

o Salary
Not listed; Glassdoor estimates ~$82k/yr.
Mechanical Engineer V at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena, CA
o Description
Mechanical engineering position with JPLs Spacecraft
Mechanical Engineering section.
o Skills
Expert knowledge in mechanical systems design
Working knowledge of engineering tools
Good communication skills
o Experience
Masters degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
with 20 years of related experience.
o Salary
Not listed; Glassdoor estimates >$146k/yr.
Opto-Mechanical Engineer, Space Instruments & Optical
Systems at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA
o Description
A mechanical engineering position to lead the development
of Electro-Optical systems.
o Skills
Extensive knowledge of optics, physics, and optic mount
design.
Experience and knowledge of cryogenic sensor design
Advanced knowledge of Computer Aided Engineering in a
concurrent modeling environment.
o Experience
Bachelors degree with 9 years of related experience,
Masters with 7 years of experience, or PhD with 5 years of
experience.
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Optics, or
Aerospace Engineering.
o Salary
Not listed; Glassdoor estimates ~105k/yr.
Systems Engineer V; Entry, Descent, Landing at NASA Jet
Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA
o Description
Systems engineering position with the Flight Systems
Engineering, Integration, and Test section.
o Skills
Expert knowledge in spacecraft systems engineering;
Entry, Decent, and Landing systems engineering;

guidance, navigation, and control; aerodynamics; or

supersonic parachutes.
Experience with industry practices and standards in
applications of space systems.
Exceptional communication skills.
o Experience
Bachelors degree with 12 years of related experience,
Masters with 10 years of experience, or PhD with 8 years
of experience.
Degree in Aerospace Engineering.
o Salary
Not listed, Glassdoor estimates >$97k/yr.