Salary percentile for Level II Aerospace Stress Engineer?

[enghelp2806]

Hello, I’m not sure if this is allowed, or belongs here, but I was hoping to get some insight on where I should be salary wise. Please remove if not allowed.

I’m currently in the talks with my boss about receiving a salary increase. Thing is, I joined my company two years ago and this will be my first raise at this company...so yes, I’m still at my starting salary. What’s worse is that HR is lowballing me by claiming that my starting salary is just slightly lower than what they’ve calculated I should be making now, 2 years later. I’m a stress engineer II (hired 2 years ago as a level I) in the aerospace defense industry in Southern California with about 3-4 years of experience.

I used the BLS website’s (huge database of salary information) data to determine the wage per percentile of an aerospace engineer in the area of California I work. Now my question is, what percentile would an aerospace stress engineer II with 3-4 years of experience fall into? I’m thinking somewhere around the 15th-20th percentile? I’m probably reading into it too much, but any thoughts? I want to make sure I have ammo to bring to the discussion.

Thanks!

 

[rb1957]

People in your area are better placed to answer this. Part of the salary question is what the market and more specifically the company will bear. For example, it's reasonable for OEMs to pay higher salaries than mod-shops and the like. An important part of this discussion is what more can you offer the company ? Have you learnt enough that you don't need as much supervision ? or can take on larger projects ? Typical OEM practice is to hire at say 80% of the job rate then progress to 100% over some time (1 to 2 years). Would you get a new title ? Silly I know, but this is a way the company grades people. Can you compare your work with those around you ? How does your boss feel about this ?
Is he supporting you ? (if not, then forget it) Is there some larger company thing limiting what he can do ? Are you willing to walk over this ?

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[IRstuff]

I think you are looking at the percentile incorrectly. Your level is essentially composed of all people with between two and 10 years of experience, so you need to look at your job description, as well as the next one up, and see how well you cover the requirements. If you are occasionally covering level III requirements, then your assessment is probably correct. Since you went from level I to level II in two years, that's probably also consistent with your assessment. You've had at least one performance review by now, possibly 2, so those should also give you some insight; are you consistently ranked as average or are you way higher than average? How many other engineers in your category are at the company?

TTFN (ta ta for now)
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[enghelp2806]

Thanks for the responses. My new title according to my company is “Engineer” (technically a level 2). I was hired two years ago as an “Associate Engineer” according to them (or a level 1). But I’ve shown that I need minimal supervision and can take in larger projects. My boss is very much supporting me, but still I’m willing to walk if my company refuses to budge.

Looking at the level 3 job description, I probably cover them pretty minimally, but I’ve covered them well when required. I have had two assessments now, both of which have gone very well. My boss agrees that I’m over performing and exceeding expectations. Believe it or not, I’m the only level 2 stress engineer that I know of in my company. There’s one level 3, and the others are all at the level 4 or higher.

 

[rb1957]

That all sounds very positive. But there is a real world out there, many companies probably have a salary freeze. With so many levels the company should have a progression plan and this is something that should be talked about during your annual assessments, I'd look for a clear statement in these reviews "recommend promotion to level 3". It still may not happen (the company budget is probably very limited and almost certainly much fighting between managers over it). Something to note ... does the company advance people or hire in outsiders ? It may be that changing companies is how people gain positions.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[IRstuff]

I do think you have a plausible case; at my previous jobs, each level roughly corresponded to about a 5 year span -- 6 levels --> 30 years, or so.

So, how does your work compare to the level 3 and level 4 guys' work? If you and your manager agree that you're at least occasionally doing level 3 work well, then you ostensibly are in the upper quartiles of your level, and ostensibly, should be appropriately compensated.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[LiftDivergence]

I seem to remember this thread being interesting:

thread731-180866

You could look through the responses and get an average yearly %. Then work backwards with your duration and starting values to see what salary you would need to be in line with other engineers on this forum at this point in your career.

Keep em' Flying
//Fight Corrosion!