How Engineers and Technicians Are Paid Today in the Russian Aviation Industry: An Overview with Figures

Russian aviation industrial enterprises are actively posting vacancies on job search resources at the start of 2026. They are looking for engineers, technologists, and foremen for the production of aviation equipment and engines. «Pervyi Tekhnicheskiy» attempted to understand how wide the range of salary offers is, depending on specialization and experience.

An analysis of open vacancies shows a steady demand for personnel, while the level of salaries offered in many cases remains comparable to the indicators of the mid-2010s. This concerns offers from leading enterprises in the industry — from aircraft factories to developers of advanced aircraft engines and systems.

Engineers and Technologists — Basic Industry Offers

One notable example is a vacancy at the Kazan Aviation Plant, where the enterprise is looking for an engineer with a salary of 66 thousand rubles.

A similar level of pay is also recorded among developers of aircraft engines: an enterprise participating in the PD-14 program posted a vacancy for an engineer with a salary of up to 50 thousand rubles.

In some cases, employers specify increased requirements for experience and education, but the level of pay remains moderate by industry standards.

Production Specialties — Assembly and Maintenance

A separate segment of the market is vacancies for specialists engaged directly in the production and assembly of aviation equipment.

For example, enterprises working on the Su-57 are recruiting engine assemblers with a salary of about 45 thousand rubles.

Su-57 assembly
Image source binary_glasses

At the same time, offers are published for technical personnel: for the production of fighters they are looking for equipment maintenance foremen.

These advertisements most often indicate the need for practical experience and willingness to work in shifts.

Designers and Developers — There Is Also Demand for Specialists from Design Bureaus

Design bureaus and project departments also continue to recruit personnel. For example, the «Yakovlev» corporation is looking for designers to develop the airframe and aircraft systems.

In addition, enterprises working on fifth-generation fighters are posting vacancies for specialists in reducing IR signature.

In these segments, salaries are generally higher than the average for production professions, but also rarely go beyond industry standards.

Digitalization and CNC — The Highest Offers

The most noticeable increase in salaries is recorded in areas related to digital technologies and production automation. For example, the developer of the advanced PD-35 engine is looking for a programmer engineer to work with CNC and software.

Such positions require deep technical training and experience with modern production systems. In this segment, employers are willing to offer the most competitive conditions.

Foremen and Managers — The Middle Level of Production

A separate category is vacancies for shift supervisors, foremen, and middle managers. The manufacturer of PD-8 engines has opened recruitment for senior foremen in production areas.

In turn, defense enterprises are looking for heads of project management departments. These vacancies most often indicate the need for managerial experience and responsibility for the execution of contracts.

What Is the Average Salary Across the "Hospital"?

A combined analysis of vacancies shows that most offers in the aviation industry in 2026 are concentrated in the range of 45,000 to 100,000 rubles per month. Higher salaries are typical for digital production, programming, and project management.

At the same time, a significant part of the salaries remains comparable to the level of the mid-2010s, despite the increasing requirements for qualifications and the complexity of technological processes.