Gain essential insights into the Los Angeles aerospace engineering talent market with our H2 2025 report. This guide explores how funding inflows, rising defense investment, and rapid company scaling are reshaping aerospace hiring across Southern California.
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Aerospace LA H2 2025 Talent Report
Tom Daniels
12th Jan 2026
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Key Highlights
- Market Trends: H2 2025 has seen sustained and accelerated demand for aerospace engineers in Los Angeles, driven by increased defense budgets, global security demand, and continued VC investment. Early-stage and scaling aerospace companies are expanding rapidly, placing intense pressure on an already constrained talent market.
- Emerging Skills: Hardware-led engineering remains the core demand, with genuine hands-on engineering excellence at a premium. At the same time, embedded programming and low-level flight software skills are proving similarly difficult to secure. Employers are prioritizing engineers with full-lifecycle experience who can take systems from concept through build, test, and deployment.
- Hiring Challenges: Clients consistently report a shortage of engineers capable of true end-to-end ownership of business-critical aerospace systems. Experienced engineers command significant compensation premiums, pushing companies to place greater emphasis on potential and adaptability rather than years of experience alone. Engineers with 2–5 years of experience are emerging as a key sweet spot, combining autonomy with openness to innovation.
- Future Outlook: Demand is expected to remain high into 2026 as aerospace and defense funding continues and LA cements its position as a hub for next-generation aerospace and space companies. Engineers are increasingly drawn to fast-paced, innovation-forward environments that offer real ownership, accelerated development, and minimal bureaucracy. Companies that can provide these conditions will be best positioned to attract and retain top aerospace engineering talent in the LA market.