Aerospace Materials Specialist

The Aerospace Materials Specialist (AMS) plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in the aviation industry. While some technicians work directly on the aircraft and aircraft parts, the AMS is responsible for ensuring that the technicians always have the correct parts, components, and raw materials needed for work on the aircraft.
The AMS is an expert in materiel handling and maintaining the inventory of stored items — shipping, receiving, stocking, moving, or issuing crucial support products such as parts, components, sealants, lubricants, and raw materials in routine and AOG (aircraft on ground) situations. The AMS tags and catalogues every single item for immediate and future use. The workplace is a clean shop environment, although the AMS is sometimes requested to work directly on the aircraft.

The AMS also becomes a specialist in customs documentation for import/ export, in quarantine stores, and in the handling and issuing of dangerous goods and HazMat (hazardous materials) according to Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (TDGA) requirements.

The modern aircraft contains millions of pieces, parts, and sub-assemblies: the ability to keep track of all these complex parts and components, and the ability to know where each piece is supposed to fit is essential to this key support role. Other techs may know how to work on their parts, but the AMS always knows exactly which parts they need, where to find them, and how to get them to the job site.

If you like troubleshooting and have a natural ability for organization and logistics, then being an Aerospace Materials Specialist is a good area to explore.

Pathways

  • Completion of Secondary School (required)
  • Completion of an Aviation Maintenance program at a college or approved training organization (an asset)
  • Comprehensive on-the-job training (available at most companies)
  • Experience as an Aviation Stock Keeper or Aviation Maintenance Technician (an asset)
  • CCAA certification (an asset)

Helpful Tips

  • Thorough familiarity with safe work practices, and rules and regulations
  • Experience in working with hazardous materials
  • Self-motivated, organized, detail oriented, and precise
  • Ability to shift priorities quickly and work within tight time constraints
  • Experience with inventory, logistics, troubleshooting, and analyzing data
  • Investigative skills
  • Strong interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills in dealing with personnel from other departments, customers and manufacturers’ representatives, along with shop personnel — must be a team player
  • Proficiency with computers and software (Word, Excel)

Associated Titles

  • Aviation Stock Keeper/Storekeeper
  • HazMat Specialist
  • Import/Export Specialist
  • Materials Technologist
  • Purchaser
  • Shipping/Receiving Agent

All Careers

Airport Operations Worker ★

This career field encompasses a range of duties and responsibilities associated with keeping airports in safe and secure operations. Positions are found in both public airports and in the military. Airport operation workers oversee duties that include such areas as...

Flight Dispatcher

When it comes to aircraft safety, a flight dispatcher plays a vital role. In fact, a pilot and a flight dispatcher work hand in hand, one from the air and one from the ground, on a number of shared responsibilities. Aircraft dispatchers work with many different...

Air Traffic Controllers

All Air Traffic Controllers are regulated by Transport Canada. They require certification before you can start working in the sector. An air traffic controller is responsible for coordinating the movement of air traffic, guiding pilots during takeoff and landing and...

Flight Attendant

While a main role of flight attendants is to make passengers comfortable on airplanes, it is not their primary responsibility. Passengers' safety and the flight deck's security are their chief concerns. They assist passengers in emergencies, keeping them calm and...

Structures Assembler

Can you picture yourself actually building modern, high-tech aircraft? This is a job that demands excellent hands-on skills, as well as the ability to read blueprints and to follow detailed engineering instructions accurately. The Structures Assembler performs wide...

Quality Systems Auditor

Safety, quality, and reliability are critical principles in the aviation and aerospace industry. Anything that goes wrong with a product or service can have serious consequences and severely damage a company’s reputation. Quality Systems Auditors understand the...

Quality Assurance Manager

Safety, quality, and reliability are critical principles in the aviation and aerospace industry. Quality Management Systems enable continuous improvement of business processes and ensure compliance with organizational policy, regulations, processes and other...

Pilot ★

If you have a passion for airplanes or helicopters and enjoy a challenge, consider becoming a Commercial Pilot. This is a very rewarding career where you can see the world from a vantage point that not many others get to experience. Becoming a pilot requires...

Helicopter Components Overhaul Technician

Helicopter Dynamic Component Technicians specialize in the overhaul of “dynamic” helicopter components — essentially, those moving and shifting components that are essential to the rotation of helicopter blades and allow the pilot to control the direction of the...

Ground Services Attendant

Airport terminal grounds are the workplace of the Aviation Ground Services Attendant. The people who service aircraft fill many roles that require specialized training. Many different types of motorized equipment are used to service an aircraft, from pallet loaders,...

Electrical/Electronic Assembler

Adept at electrical and electronics engineering, the Electrical/Electronics Assembler essentially constructs and wires together a fully functional brain and nerve system for aircraft, all to be safely controlled and monitored in the cockpit by the pilot. Reading and...

Composite Fabricator ★

The Composite Fabricator has become an increasingly important occupation in the construction, maintenance, and repair of modern aircraft of all sizes, shapes, and purposes. Composite fabricators require a solid knowledge of, and experience in, chemistry and the...

Avionics Maintenance Technician ★

Avionics involves working with complex electronic and electrical systems, including navigation, guidance, communications, surveillance, and flight control. This profession is essential to the safe and timely operation of all aircraft on the ground and in the air....

Aviation Welding Technician

An aviation welder is a highly skilled journey-level welder, specifically trained to work with aircraft structures and special materials using tungsten inert gas (TIG) and metal inert gas (MIG) techniques, as well as laser and plasma welding. Aviation Welding...

Aviation Toolroom Controller

An Aviation Tool Room Controller is responsible for issuing tools and ensuring that they are maintained in proper condition at all times. The Tool Room Controller also looks after the calibration of tools and records the expiry dates and servicing dates of specialty...

Aviation Special Processes Technician

The Aviation Special Processes Technician requires in-depth knowledge of chemistry, and a keen sense of observation and judgement. They must adhere to the critically important safety principles that apply to their work. They perform complex functions such as...

Aviation Painter ★

Aviation Painters perform all aircraft paintwork. Aircraft skin, propellers, instruments, engines, you name it — if it needs painting, it’s the Aviation Painter’s job. This highly skilled trade involves set-up and operation of tools and equipment, stripping, cleaning,...

Non-destructive Inspection Technician ★

Aviation Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) Technicians perform extremely detailed inspections of aircraft structures, engines, and components to determine structural integrity by revealing flaws not visible to the human eye. NDI Technicians may not certify the...

Mechanical Component Technician ★

Aviation Mechanical Component Technicians are experts who work in the overhaul, repair, modification, inspection, testing, and certification of aviation components of pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel, electrical, environmental, and mechanical aircraft systems. System...

Aviation Maintenance Manager

After serving a number of years as an Aircraft Technician (or an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer), the next step is to enter a management role, to be responsible for leading a group of skilled technical people who maintain aircraft to the highest industry standards....

Aviation Maintenance Inspector

When something as big and complex as an aircraft is being built and maintained, and when people’s lives depend on it working perfectly every time, there are countless checks, balances, and verifications that must be observed during the process. Aviation Maintenance...

Aviation Machinist ★

Aviation machinists work individually or in teams to fabricate, repair, rework, or modify aircraft parts, components, and specialized tooling. They manufacture parts and components (tolling/jigs) that are used to build, modify, or repair an aircraft. Considered to be...

Aviation Electrical/Electronic Component Technician ★

Nothing gets more technologically advanced than this occupation. Starting with basic knowledge of electronic industry standards, connectors, fittings, crimping and soldering, these technicians move on to work on the most complex systems in aviation and aerospace....

Aerospace Engineer

If there ever was an industry designed to meet the challenges and rewards of engineering, the aviation and aerospace industry is it, encompassing aerodynamics, avionics, design, engineering reliability, equipment, field service, flight testing, instrumentation,...

Aircraft Structures Technician ★

Aircraft Structures Technicians keep aircraft in perfect flying condition by constructing and repairing the metal and composite parts of an aircraft’s fuselage, wings, and control surface. This is done through intensive machining, welding, and refinishing work. The...

Aircraft Simulator Technician

Ever played a flight-sim video game? Well, Aircraft Simulator Technicians create and maintain working simulators. Working in aircraft simulator manufacturing and training environments, these technicians are required to operate, repair, modify, test, and troubleshoot...

Aircraft Refueller

Aircraft cannot get off the ground without fuel and use enormous quantities in flight. Modern jet fuel is an extremely volatile substance that requires careful storage and handling. Responsibility for the safe handling and accurate delivery of jet fuels is a crucial...

Aircraft Reciprocating Engine Technician

An Aircraft Reciprocating Engine Technician is the industry expert on the repair and overhaul of piston engines, including turbochargers. Also known as internal-combustion engines, reciprocating — or piston-driven engines — use very high pressures (as much as 1,000...

Aircraft Propeller Systems Technician ★

While people may be most familiar with jet aircraft, many regional commuter aircraft, military aircraft, and large numbers of small and private aircraft are propeller-driven. Highly skilled and specialized professionals, Aircraft Propeller Systems Technicians are...

Aircraft Mechanical Assembler

The Structures Assembler, or Mechanical Assembler, is the technician who puts the aircraft together. Working with sub-assemblies manufactured by others, and materials that are extremely costly, the mechanical assembler is responsible for the final assembly of the...

Aircraft Maintenance Technician ★

Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) have the critical task of keeping fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircrafts operating safely and efficiently. It is an important job – lives depend on the AMT. Servicing, repairing, and overhauling aircraft components and systems are...

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) are responsible for ensuring an aircraft operates properly and safely. AME inspects, services, repairs and overhauls civil aircrafts. The AME is the licensed person who carries out the maintenance of an aircrafts. This job entails...

Aircraft Interior Technician

Aircraft Interior Technicians are master craftspeople – no matter what kind of cabin interior you could imagine or invent, they possess all thediverse skills needed to build it. These technicians maintain the quality of aircraft interiors and cabin furnishings, not...

Turbine Engine Repair & Overhaul Technician ★

The gas turbine is one of the greatest inventions of this past century: unique and simple in its basic operation, yet immensely complex in its design. In the aviation and aerospace industry, gas turbine engines are used to power jets and turbo-prop aircraft. Aircraft...