U.S. Marine Corps MOS Career Guide

6338 — Aircraft Avionics Technician, F-35:
Civilian Career Guide

Marine Corps 6338 experience can support F-35 sustainment, civil avionics, defense electronics field service, aerospace test, and aviation quality roles. Strong candidates document communications, navigation, radar, electrical, and countermeasures maintenance without exposing protected details, then separate military qualification from FAA privileges, current clearance status, export-controlled access, platform authorization, and employer sign-off.

Avionics technicians median: $81,390

Aerospace test technicians median: $79,830

NAVMC 1200.1L and FY27 continuity verified

NAVMC source note

NAVMC 1200.1L assigns 6338 technicians to install, remove, inspect, test, maintain, and repair F-35 communications, navigation, radar, electrical, and deceptive electronic countermeasures systems and related components at the organizational maintenance level. The MOS requires U.S. citizenship, normal color perception, Secret clearance eligibility, foundational aviation electrical training, and F-35 avionics systems training. NAVMC 1200.1M retains the specialty for FY27.

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F-35 Avionics Sustainment Technician$50k – $114kAvionics median $81,390

Civil Avionics Technician$50k – $114kAir transportation median $99,150

Radar and Electronic Systems Field Service Technician$42k – $109k9,600 openings annually across electronics repair

Aerospace Systems Test Technician$54k – $120k8% projected growth

Avionics Quality Control Inspector$35k – $76k69,900 openings annually across quality inspection

See full role breakdowns: demand data, hiring notes, and employer expectations →

Integrated Avionics Transition

Turn F-35 systems experience into a controlled, credible civilian story.

A focused 6338 plan identifies the avionics functions you can discuss, protects sensitive program information, matches your experience to sustainment, MRO, field service, test, or quality roles, and closes the FAA, credential, clearance, or education gap.

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Section 01

Top Civilian Role Matches for 6338

F-35 Avionics Sustainment Technician Closest platform match

$50k – $114k

F-35 contractors, depots, government programs, and partner-nation sustainment organizations need technicians who can maintain integrated aircraft avionics within strict technical, security, configuration, and quality controls. A 6338 should name releasable system categories, maintenance functions, test equipment, qualifications, and outcomes rather than protected technical details. Quantify aircraft supported, discrepancies isolated, components changed, software or configuration actions within your authority, inspections, repeat faults, and availability. Hiring still depends on current clearance, citizenship, export-control, location, and program-access requirements.

F-35 sustainmentIntegrated avionicsDefense programsControlled access

Avionics median $81,390

Source: BLS OOH: Aircraft and Avionics Technicians · Avionics median $81,390; $49,770 to $113,580 distribution (May 2024)

Civil Avionics Technician

$50k – $114k

Civil aviation employers need technicians who can test electronic equipment, interpret maintenance data, isolate faults, replace components, install equipment, and document work. The 6338 bridge is strongest when communications, navigation, radar, electrical, connector, wiring, and system-test experience is explained in non-platform-specific language. Employers may prefer an Airframe rating, an employer-sponsored repairman certificate, or platform training. Your Marine experience provides a strong foundation, but it does not independently grant FAA privileges or authority to approve civilian aircraft for return to service.

Civil avionicsMROCommunicationsNavigation

Air transportation median $99,150

Source: BLS OOH: Avionics Technicians · Median $81,390; air transportation median $99,150 (May 2024)

Radar and Electronic Systems Field Service Technician

$42k – $109k

Defense electronics manufacturers and field-service teams hire technicians to inspect, test, diagnose, repair, reconfigure, and document complex electronic systems at customer sites. A 6338 can compete through radar, countermeasures, communications, navigation, electrical, and fault-isolation experience, provided sensitive details remain protected. Travel, customer interaction, shift work, and employer-specific product training are common. Quantify systems supported, faults resolved, replacement assemblies, test events, technical reports, downtime reduced, and users or maintainers trained within your actual responsibilities.

Field serviceRadar systemsDefense electronicsCustomer support

9,600 openings annually across electronics repair

Source: BLS OOH: Electrical and Electronics Repairers · Median $71,270; $42,310 to $109,300 distribution (May 2024)

Aerospace Systems Test Technician

$54k – $120k

Aerospace development and sustainment teams use technicians to install test equipment, execute procedures, monitor system behavior, record data, and support failure investigation. Integrated F-35 avionics experience can transfer when your resume shows test discipline, configuration awareness, anomaly reproduction, measurements, documentation, and cross-functional coordination. This is engineering support, not automatic engineering authority. Some employers expect an associate degree, laboratory experience, or specific instrumentation skills. Quantify test runs, anomalies isolated, data packages, corrective actions verified, and schedule or quality improvements.

Systems testInstrumentationFailure analysisAerospace development

8% projected growth

Source: BLS OOH: Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians · Median $79,830; $53,730 to $120,440 distribution (May 2024)

Avionics Quality Control Inspector

$35k – $76k

6338 veterans with formal inspection, quality assurance, or work-verification experience can target avionics quality roles in manufacturing, repair stations, and defense sustainment. Employers need people who compare work with approved technical and workmanship criteria, identify nonconformances, document findings, preserve configuration, and verify corrective action. Do not assume a Marine qualification transfers as civilian inspection authority. Name the exact designation and scope, then quantify inspections, defects detected, rework prevented, audit results, recurring faults analyzed, and technicians coached.

Avionics qualityConfiguration controlNonconformanceWork verification

69,900 openings annually across quality inspection

Source: BLS OOH: Quality Control Inspectors · Median $47,460; $34,590 to $75,510 distribution (May 2024)

Section 02

Transferable Strengths: What Civilian Employers See

Integrated Avionics Fault Isolation

6338 work spans communications, navigation, radar, electrical, and countermeasures functions that can influence one another. Employers value technicians who understand interfaces, reproduce symptoms, use approved diagnostics, isolate faults across component and system boundaries, complete the repair, and verify the integrated result.

Controlled Configuration and Technical Compliance

F-35 maintenance requires disciplined use of approved data, authorized configurations, accurate records, controlled tools, and defined access. Translate that into configuration management, traceability, procedural compliance, and documentation quality. Those habits matter in defense sustainment, MRO, aerospace manufacturing, test, and regulated electronics work.

Multi-System Test Discipline

The MOS develops experience with test equipment, operational checks, fault codes, component interfaces, and maintenance verification. Civilian resumes should identify releasable categories of equipment, the troubleshooting method, measurements or results captured, corrective action taken, and whether the system passed the first post-maintenance test.

Sensitive Information Judgment

Strong 6338 candidates know how to explain technical work without disclosing classified, export-controlled, proprietary, or operational information. That restraint is a marketable professional skill. Use broad system categories, workload, tools, process, and outcomes while leaving restricted parameters, vulnerabilities, tactics, and mission data out.

Cleared Team Coordination

Integrated avionics maintenance often requires coordination across shops, quality personnel, operations, supply, and technical support. Quantify handoffs, joint troubleshooting, parts constraints, maintenance windows, people trained, and aircraft restored. State clearance status precisely because Secret eligibility is not the same as current access or a transferable clearance.

Section 03

Common Mistakes 6338 Marines Make in the Civilian Job Search

Writing an F-35 Resume That Says Almost Nothing

Security awareness sometimes leads veterans to remove all technical substance. You can still name unclassified system categories, maintenance functions, tools, workload, inspections, training, and outcomes. A resume that only says F-35 avionics gives recruiters no evidence, while one that reveals restricted details shows poor judgment. The target is useful, releasable specificity.

Treating Platform Access as a Permanent Credential

Previous F-35 access, Secret eligibility, an investigation, and a current clearance are separate. Access also depends on citizenship, export rules, employer sponsorship, location, need to know, and program decisions. Describe only the status you can verify. Technical skill remains valuable even when a future employer must establish new access.

Skipping Civil Aviation Credential Boundaries

Military avionics qualification does not automatically grant an FAA mechanic certificate, repairman certificate, inspection authorization, or return-to-service authority. Some civilian avionics roles do not require an A&P, but the employer's supervision and certificate structure still control the work. Research the target posting instead of claiming universal maintenance authority.

Section 04

Credentials That Strengthen a 6338 Transition

ASTM NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET)

Cost $175 examTime 2-hour exam; preparation variesFormat 90 questions; 73% passing score

ASTM NCATT AET provides a standardized civilian signal for broad aircraft electronics knowledge. It is useful when a recruiter does not understand Marine training titles. The credential supports avionics applications but does not replace an FAA mechanic certificate, repairman authority, platform qualification, clearance verification, or employer authorization.

Best broad avionics signal · Makes military electronics knowledge easier to recognize

ASTM NCATT Avionics Systems Endorsements

Cost $150 each for ANS, DNS, OCS, or RCSTime 1-hour exam per endorsementFormat 50 questions; 70% passing; AET prerequisite

NCATT system endorsements let an AET holder add autonomous navigation, dependent navigation, onboard communication and safety, or radio communication evidence. Choose only the endorsement that matches target postings. These are knowledge credentials, not FAA ratings or proof of authorization on a specific aircraft.

Targeted systems credibility · Useful when the endorsement matches the employer's avionics stack

FAA Aviation Mechanic: Airframe and Powerplant Path

Cost $0 FAA issuance; commercial testing and examiner fees varyTime 18 months for one rating or 30 months for bothFormat FAA experience review plus knowledge, oral, and practical tests

FAA mechanic guidance explains how documented military practical experience may count after an FAA review. Service alone does not authorize testing, and training time is not automatically creditable. An Airframe rating can broaden civil avionics options, while some repair stations use supervised work or employer-specific repairman certification.

Broader civil aviation access · Valuable after FAA eligibility review and testing

Section 05

Resume Translation: From F-35 Avionics to Civilian Systems

The 6338 resume must be specific enough to prove integrated avionics skill while protecting classified, export-controlled, proprietary, and operational information.

Before: Vague wording that relies on the platform name

Served as an F-35 avionics technician. Maintained communications, navigation, radar, electrical, and countermeasures systems, troubleshot discrepancies, replaced components, and supported aircraft readiness.

After: Releasable civilian avionics language with measurable proof

Inspected, tested, diagnosed, repaired, and verified integrated aircraft communications, navigation, radar, electrical, and electronic-protection systems across an F-35 maintenance program supporting [X] aircraft and [X] annual flight hours. Used authorized diagnostic equipment, wiring data, fault-isolation procedures, and controlled maintenance information to reproduce discrepancies, isolate failed components or interfaces, complete corrective action, and perform post-maintenance operational checks. Closed [X] scheduled and unscheduled actions, replaced or repaired [X] components, wiring items, or assemblies, and reduced repeat discrepancies by [X] percent. Maintained configuration, parts, labor, inspection, and corrective-action records within security and export-control requirements. Coordinated cross-shop troubleshooting and trained [X] technicians without disclosing protected technical or mission information.

The 6338 Translation Formula

Military term	Civilian translation	Proof to show
Integrated F-35 avionics	interconnected communications, navigation, radar, electrical, and electronic-protection system maintenance	releasable system categories, aircraft, actions, test results, and availability
Fault code or maintenance message	diagnostic indication investigated through approved system-level fault isolation	messages resolved, root causes confirmed, and repeat events reduced
Line-replaceable component change	controlled component removal, installation, configuration, connection, and functional verification	components replaced, no-fault removals avoided, and first-pass checks
Cross-shop troubleshooting	multi-discipline diagnosis across electrical, electronic, wiring, software, component, and interface boundaries	teams involved, issues resolved, downtime, and handoffs improved
Controlled technical data	authorized, revision-controlled maintenance information handled under security and export rules	records completed, configuration preserved, and zero disclosure incidents
Secret clearance eligibility	potential cleared-program fit subject to current investigation, sponsorship, suitability, and access verification	precise current status stated without protected details

Always quantify aircraft, flight hours, discrepancies, components, test events, repeat faults, inspections, technicians trained, turnaround time, and availability.

Sources checked July 17, 2026: NAVMC 1200.1M FY27 continuity; BLS aircraft and avionics technicians; BLS electrical and electronics repairers; BLS aerospace test technicians; BLS quality inspectors; SpaceTEC ASTM NCATT credentials; NCATT avionics systems endorsements; and FAA military experience and mechanic certification guidance.

Section 06

6338 Civilian Career FAQs

What civilian jobs fit Marine Corps 6338 experience?

Strong matches include F-35 sustainment technician, civil avionics technician, radar or defense-electronics field-service technician, aerospace systems-test technician, and avionics quality inspector. The best fit depends on releasable systems experience, platform qualifications, inspection scope, FAA credentials, education, current clearance status, citizenship, location, and employer program-access requirements.

Can a 6338 discuss F-35 experience on a civilian resume?

Yes, at an appropriate unclassified level. Describe broad system categories, maintenance functions, tools, workload, documentation, training, and outcomes. Do not include classified details, export-controlled technical data, vulnerabilities, tactics, mission information, restricted parameters, or proprietary content. When unsure, use approved public terminology and seek a security review before sharing details.

Does 6338 experience automatically provide an FAA credential?

No. The FAA may credit documented military practical experience after review, but service does not automatically authorize testing or issue a certificate. Civil avionics work may occur under an Airframe-rated mechanic, a repair station's system, or employer-specific repairman authority. The exact privilege depends on the certificate, employer, work performed, and supervision.

Is a previous F-35 clearance or access transferable?

Not automatically. Employers verify the current investigation and clearance record, then determine sponsorship, suitability, citizenship, export-control eligibility, need to know, and program access. Prior access can be relevant, but it is not a permanent credential. State only your verifiable current status and never disclose protected details to prove experience.

Get Your Personalized Blueprint

Build around your F-35 avionics depth without overclaiming access or authority.

CommandPath uses your system categories, maintenance level, test equipment, qualifications, clearance context, inspection experience, leadership scope, and target market to build a focused transition plan.