1513 Career Guide
1513: Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO)
Career transition guide for Navy Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO) (1513)
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Real industry tech roles your 1513 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
QA / Test Automation Engineer
Engineering
Your experience with test and evaluation procedures for naval aircraft, spacecraft, and weapons systems directly translates to QA and test automation. You understand the importance of rigorous testing in complex systems. Your familiarity with systems engineering and weapons systems integration gives you a strong foundation for designing and executing test plans.
Typical stack:
Embedded Software Engineer
Engineering
Your work on aircraft, spacecraft, and weapons systems involves embedded software. Your experience with systems engineering and weapons systems integration provides a solid base for understanding how software interacts with hardware. Use your knowledge of aircraft design and production to understand the constraints and requirements of embedded systems.
Typical stack:
Technical Program Manager
Product
As an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer, you have experience in program management, which is directly applicable to the role of a Technical Program Manager. Your experience with air weapon system acquisition from design to production, along with rapid prioritization and after-action analysis skills, will be valuable in managing complex technical projects.
Typical stack:
Data Analyst
Data
Your background in test and evaluation procedures, combined with system modeling and after-action analysis skills, makes you a good fit for a data analyst role. The ability to analyze complex systems, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies is crucial in data analysis. Focus on learning the tools and techniques specific to data analysis.
Typical stack:
Skills You Already Have
Concrete bridges from 1513 experience to tech-industry practice.
- Air Weapon System Acquisition→ Understanding software development lifecycle and acquisition processes.
- System Modeling→ Understanding and predicting the behavior of complex software systems.
- Rapid Prioritization→ Efficiently allocating resources and making timely decisions in software development.
- Test and Evaluation Procedures→ Designing and executing test plans to ensure software quality and reliability.
- Situational Awareness→ Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of project environments and risks.
- After-Action Analysis→ Identifying areas for improvement and increasing overall efficiency in software projects.
Skills to Learn
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code accelerates the parts we teach — software engineering fundamentals, web development, AI tooling. For everything else above, the path is doable independently with the resources we link to.
See VWC ProgramsCivilian Career Pathways
Top civilian roles for 1513 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Aerospace Engineer
Skills to develop:
Program Manager
Skills to develop:
Test Pilot/Flight Test Engineer
Skills to develop:
Management Consultant
Skills to develop:
Systems Engineer
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 1513 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
AEDOs must understand and model complex air weapon systems, from design to production, to identify potential issues and improvements.
This skill translates to the ability to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems, using models and simulations to optimize performance and mitigate risks.
Rapid Prioritization
AEDOs often face situations where they must quickly assess and prioritize tasks related to testing and evaluating new aircraft and weapon systems.
This translates to the ability to quickly assess the urgency and importance of different tasks, enabling efficient allocation of resources and timely decision-making.
Situational Awareness
AEDOs require a high degree of situational awareness while testing and evaluating aircraft and weapons systems, especially during flying billets.
This involves maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the surrounding environment and potential risks, enabling proactive decision-making and quick responses to unexpected events.
After-Action Analysis
AEDOs use after-action analysis to thoroughly review tests, evaluations, and other activities to identify lessons learned and implement improvements in processes and systems.
This critical review process translates into identifying areas for improvement, developing better strategies, and increasing overall efficiency in subsequent projects or operations.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Management Consultant
SOC 13-1111You've been managing complex weapon system acquisition processes, making you adept at understanding and improving organizational efficiency. Management consulting lets you apply your skills to various industries, helping companies optimize their operations.
Risk Manager
SOC 13-2054You've been responsible for testing and evaluating new aircraft and weapon systems, so you're highly skilled at identifying and mitigating risks. Risk management allows you to use this expertise to assess and manage potential risks in various organizations and industries.
Supply Chain Analyst
SOC 13-1199You've been involved in the entire air weapon system acquisition process from design to production, giving you an end-to-end view of how things are made. As a supply chain analyst, you'll apply your understanding to optimize the flow of goods and services in a variety of companies.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Naval Air Warfare Center Training Pipeline
Topics Covered
- •Air Weapon System Acquisition
- •Program Management
- •Systems Engineering
- •Test and Evaluation Procedures
- •Aircraft Design and Production
- •Spacecraft Systems Overview
- •Weapons Systems Integration
- •Operational Support Activities
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Study the PMI PMBOK guide, focusing on predictive project management methodologies, stakeholder management, and risk management as applied in non-DoD contexts.
Requires understanding of specific civilian testing standards, legal frameworks, and documentation practices that may differ from military protocols. Focus on statistical analysis and reporting.
Focus on the INCOSE handbook, particularly on model-based systems engineering, architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF), and specific industry standards (e.g., ISO 15288) used in civilian sectors.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | Boeing Aircraft (e.g., 737, 787) for flight testing and evaluation |
| EA-18G Growler | Electronic warfare testing platforms |
| AIM-9X Sidewinder Missile | Raytheon Missiles & Defense products - missile systems testing and development |
| Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) | Helmet-mounted display systems used in commercial aviation or augmented reality applications |
| AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar | Advanced radar systems used in weather forecasting, air traffic control, or autonomous driving |
| Link 16 | Secure data communication networks used in financial transactions or emergency services |
| Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) Aircraft Division Test Facilities | Commercial flight test centers (e.g., Mojave Air & Space Port), wind tunnels, simulation labs |
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