U.S. Navy Rating Career Guide
AT Civilian Careers: Aviation Electronics Technician
Navy AT Sailors troubleshoot and repair aircraft electronics across avionics benches, aircraft systems, communications, radar, navigation, sensors, fiber optics, FLIR, wiring, weapons interfaces, electronic warfare, data links, fire control, displays, calibration, and test equipment. Civilian targets include avionics technician, electronics repair, test technician, field service, calibration, and quality roles.
Official classification grounding
Navy OCCSTDS describes AT Sailors as maintaining aircraft electronics at intermediate and organizational levels, including WRAs, SRAs, automatic test equipment, calibration and test benches, computers, communications, radar, navigation, ASW sensors, fiber optics, FLIR, wiring, weapons systems, laser, electronic warfare, data link, fire control, and tactical displays.
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Section 01
Top Civilian Role Matches for AT
Avionics Technician Best direct path
$60k – $130k
AT experience is a direct fit for avionics technician roles when the resume names communications, radar, navigation, sensors, displays, data links, wiring, test equipment, and bench-level troubleshooting. Employers also want documentation discipline, safety habits, and a clear boundary between military qualifications and FAA-controlled civilian requirements.
AvionicsRadarNavigationTest equipment
BLS current wage table
Electronics Repair Technician
$55k – $115k
Intermediate-level repair of WRAs and SRAs maps to electronics repair and depot work. Translate Navy terms into circuit cards, assemblies, diagnostics, calibration, soldering or replacement work performed, test benches used, fault isolation, and final acceptance checks.
ElectronicsDepotDiagnosticsAssemblies
BLS current wage table
Calibration or Test Equipment Technician
$55k – $115k
ATs who maintained automatic test equipment, calibration processes, and benches can target metrology and test equipment roles. Civilian employers need technicians who protect measurement accuracy, follow procedures, document results, and understand how bad test data can create downstream safety risk.
CalibrationATEMetrologyRecords
BLS current wage table
Aircraft Electrical Systems Technician
$60k – $125k
Organizational-level AT experience can support aircraft electrical and systems maintenance roles, especially where wiring, sensors, displays, fire control interfaces, navigation, and communication systems overlap. Pair platform experience with clear examples of troubleshooting, repairs, inspections, and operational checks.
AircraftWiringSensorsOperational checks
BLS current wage table
Electronics Quality Inspector
$60k – $125k
Quality assurance, maintenance administration, technical pubs, test results, and inspection discipline support QA roles in aviation, defense, and electronics manufacturing. The strongest resume bullets show defects found, rework prevented, acceptance checks completed, and documentation accuracy.
QualityInspectionTest resultsDefense
BLS current wage table
Section 02
Transferable Strengths: What Civilian Employers Actually See
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Technical publication discipline
Civilian employers value veterans who can follow manuals, update records, document discrepancies, and prove that work was performed against a standard instead of memory.
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Safety under operational pressure
Navy work often happens around aircraft, power, vehicles, tools, construction sites, or controlled materials. Translate that into risk controls, lockout habits, inspections, and clean handoffs.
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Maintenance and readiness language
Do not only list tasks. Show what those tasks protected: aircraft availability, safe launches, equipment uptime, construction progress, accurate records, or a commander’s ability to make decisions.
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System ownership
Name the exact systems, equipment, software, tools, components, facilities, or work centers you owned. Civilian recruiters match keywords before they understand military context.
◆
Leadership with measurable scope
For lead and petty officer experience, quantify people trained, inspections supported, work orders closed, assets maintained, reports managed, or project milestones delivered.
Section 03
Common Mistakes ATs Make in the Civilian Job Search
01
Using rating shorthand alone
Civilian hiring teams rarely know what AT means. Spell out the function, systems, work environment, and outcomes so the resume stands on its own outside a Navy audience.
02
Overclaiming civilian authority
Military qualification is valuable, but FAA, state electrical, HVAC, construction, radio, hazmat, and employer authorization rules are separate. Say your experience prepares you, not that it automatically licenses you.
03
Leaving out numbers
A resume that says “performed maintenance” or “supported operations” is too thin. Add counts, dollar value, equipment type, work order volume, aircraft supported, facilities maintained, or inspection results.
Section 04
Certifications That Can Improve the Signal
FCC GROL
Cost FCC license and COLEM testing fees vary by exam managerTime Self-paced study; exam schedule variesFormat Written elements through approved COLEMs
FCC GROL can strengthen electronics, radio, radar, and avionics repair credibility when the target role touches regulated transmitters or communications systems.
Technical signal · Useful for electronics roles
FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Cost FAA certificate costs vary by testing, examiner, school, and applicant pathTime Eligibility and testing timeline variesFormat FAA knowledge, oral, and practical testing
FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic matters for aircraft maintenance roles. Military experience may support eligibility, but FAA approval and testing remain separate civilian requirements.
Credential gate · Important for aircraft maintenance
CompTIA A+ or Network+
Cost CompTIA voucher pricing varies by exam, region, and purchase channelTime Self-paced study; exam date scheduled separatelyFormat Vendor certification exam
CompTIA A+ or Network+ can support technical administration, LAN support, server, and maintenance information system roles when IT duties were a real part of the billet.
IT signal · Useful for systems support
Section 05
Resume Translation: From Navy Aviation Electronics Technician to Civilian Language
The AT resume should translate Navy rating language into civilian systems, tools, compliance, maintenance, records, and measurable outcomes.
Before: Navy shorthand
Served as AT. Maintained equipment, completed inspections, supported operations, followed safety rules, and trained junior Sailors.
↓
After: Civilian employer language
Troubleshot and repaired aircraft electronic systems including communications, radar, navigation, sensors, wiring, displays, data links, electronic warfare components, WRAs, SRAs, and automatic test equipment. Performed fault isolation, bench checks, calibration support, documentation, and quality verification to return avionics systems to operational status while protecting maintenance standards and flight safety.
A stronger bullet formula
Start with the civilian function: maintenance, operations, quality, construction, administration, or logistics.
Name the system, equipment, facility, aircraft, software, or process.
Add scale: assets, work orders, users, inspections, projects, or dollar value.
Show the standard: technical publications, safety rules, maintenance program, code, or quality requirement.
End with the outcome: uptime, readiness, schedule recovery, safe operation, audit result, or reduced rework.
Always quantify: people, equipment, hours, defects, reports, inventory value, or mission volume.
Official duties verified against
Navy OCCSTDS Manual Change 103, July 2025, working copy Navy-OCCSTDS-Change-103-Jul-2025-extracted.md, pages 276-286. Salary context uses BLS OOH and OEWS pages cited in each role card. Certification links point to issuing organizations or official program pages and were reviewed for current public guidance on June 15, 2026.
Section 06
AT Civilian Career FAQs
What civilian jobs fit Navy AT experience best?
AT experience usually fits best where employers need the same core function: avionics and electronics, technical records, safety discipline, and accountable operations. The strongest target depends on your platform, NECs, leadership level, and whether you have civilian credentials.
Does Navy AT experience automatically qualify me for civilian licenses?
No. Military experience can be strong evidence of hands-on skill, but civilian licenses, FAA approvals, state trade licenses, employer authorizations, and certification exams are separate gates. Treat your service as preparation and document it carefully.
How should I write AT on a resume?
Use the rating name once, then translate the work into civilian language. Lead with systems, tools, inspections, records, projects, people trained, safety controls, and results. A recruiter should understand the job even without knowing Navy ratings.
What should ATs do before applying?
Pick one primary job family, compare postings, identify missing credentials, and rewrite bullets around measurable outcomes. A focused resume aimed at one market will usually outperform a broad military resume sent everywhere.
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