Research And Development Technician

Location

Garden City, NY

Wage

$70,000 – $75,000/yr

Employment Type

Full-time

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Posted on September 23, 2026

Job Description

Overview

The R&D Technician, Aerospace Systems is responsible for the assembly, integration, instrumentation, testing, and troubleshooting of advanced aerospace hardware and subsystems. The technician will work closely with engineers to transform design concepts into functional prototypes and validate system performance.

Responsibilities

  • Assemble, integrate, and support testing of aerospace components, subsystems, and prototype hardware.
  • Install and configure sensors, instrumentation, wiring harnesses, and data acquisition (DAQ) systems.
  • Execute laboratory, environmental, qualification, and field tests on aerospace development programs.
  • Perform troubleshooting and diagnostics of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and instrumentation systems.
  • Conduct functional, performance, and reliability testing to verify design requirements and engineering specifications.
  • Fabricate, modify, and maintain test fixtures, tooling, ground support equipment, and laboratory apparatus.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to identify root causes of failures and implement corrective actions.
  • Maintain test equipment calibration, laboratory assets, and engineering documentation in accordance with company and industry standards.
  • Support system integration activities, including hardware checkout, verification, and readiness testing.

Requirements

  • Associate degree in Aerospace Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electronics Technology, or related technical discipline; equivalent military or industry experience will also be considered.
  • Minimum 5 years of experience in aerospace, defense, aviation, propulsion, fluid systems, or other high-reliability engineering environments.
  • Strong hands-on experience with aerospace, electromechanical, or high-reliability hardware assembly and testing.
  • Proficiency with instrumentation including pressure, temperature, flow, strain, vibration, and electrical measurements.
  • Experience wiring, terminating, troubleshooting, and validating electrical and sensor systems.
  • Ability to diagnose mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and basic electrical issues using structured troubleshooting techniques.
  • Familiarity with data acquisition systems, sensor calibration, and test automation tools.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, and test procedures.

Additional Information

  • Location: Garden City, NY, Zip code: 11530
  • Start Date: Immediate
  • Job Type: Direct hire
  • Due to contracts with the United States Government, the candidate must be either a US Citizen or Green card holder.
  • Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity, decision-making, work quality, and to reduce costs.

How this job compares in Garden City, NY

Pay in context

At roughly $35/hr, this posting lands within a few percent of the $33/hr median for welding jobs across New York, whose middle half runs $27–$40/hr across 93 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 55% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. In other words it is a market-rate offer, so benefits, overtime, and shift schedule are where the real difference between this and the next posting on the list shows up.

The local market in Garden City, NY

Garden City, NY is a small market in our index: 2 other active welding openings alongside this one, from 1 employer. Across New York as a whole we're tracking 139 other active welding openings from 87 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across New York.

The most active employers in New York at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in New York, NY (12), Metropolitan Transportation Authority (6), and Alstom (4). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within New York, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are New York at $45/hr and Brooklyn at $40/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Garden City, NY

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Research And Development Technician figures were last recalculated when this page was built.