You've maintained radar systems, communications equipment, fire control electronics, and navigation systems aboard some of the most technologically advanced platforms in the world. The civilian electronics and defense industries are actively looking for people with exactly this depth of hands-on systems experience.
What Navy ET Experience Maps To
Military Language
“Maintained and repaired AN/SPS-49 air search radar; performed preventive maintenance, alignment, and fault isolation on transmitter, receiver, and antenna systems”
Civilian Translation
“Maintained and repaired air surveillance radar systems; performed scheduled preventive maintenance, system alignment, and fault isolation across transmitter, receiver, and antenna subsystems — maintaining 98% operational availability”
Military Language
“Served as Electronic Warfare division supervisor; managed maintenance program for 6 ET ratings and $4.2M in electronic warfare equipment”
Civilian Translation
“Supervised 6-person electronics maintenance team; managed $4.2M in electronic warfare systems through preventive maintenance scheduling, corrective repair, and equipment readiness tracking”
Civilian Career Paths for Navy ETs
| Career Path | Salary Range | Your Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Avionics Technician | $80K–$110K | Radar, nav, comms experience |
| Defense Electronics Tech | $85K–$120K | Direct system translation |
| Field Service Engineer | $85K–$115K | Systems troubleshooting, customer-facing |
| RF/Communications Engineer | $90K–$125K | RF systems, antenna experience |
| Radar Systems Technician | $85K–$115K | Direct experience |
| Industrial Electronics Tech | $70K–$95K | Broad electronics maintenance |
| Electronics Test Technician | $75K–$100K | Testing/QA background |
Certifications That Bridge the Gap
Electronics industry certifications:
- IPC-A-610 (Electronics Assembly Acceptability) — industry standard for electronics quality
- CET (Certified Electronics Technician) from ETA International — validates your electronics knowledge to civilian employers
- CompTIA A+ — if pivoting toward IT systems; your electronics background makes this very fast to obtain
Aviation track:
- FAA A&P — if you worked on aviation electronics; your ET experience with aircraft-equivalent systems can qualify you for the military experience pathway
- FAA Avionics Technician Certificate — for those with strong avionics background
RF/Communications:
- FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) — required for maintaining FCC-licensed transmitters; your Navy communications experience is excellent preparation
FCC GROL: Fast and Valuable
The FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License is required for maintaining ship and aircraft radio transmitters. Your Navy ET experience — especially with communications systems — makes this exam straightforward. It opens marine electronics, aviation electronics, and broadcast technical roles. Cost: $35 exam fee at an FCC-licensed test center.
Defense Contracting: Your Most Direct Path
Navy ETs with clearances are among the most competitive candidates for defense electronics contractor roles:
Target companies:
- Raytheon / RTX — radar, electronic warfare, and missile systems; actively recruits ET veterans
- Northrop Grumman — electronic warfare and shipboard systems
- L3Harris — communications and electronic systems; large Navy contract base
- DRS Technologies (Leonardo DRS) — naval electronics systems
- BAE Systems — electronic warfare and radar systems
Entry salaries for cleared ET veterans: $85K–$110K for technician roles; $100K–$130K for field service engineer roles.
The Field Service Engineer Track
Field Service Engineers (FSEs) travel to customer sites to install, maintain, and repair complex electronic systems. This role maps perfectly to ET experience:
- What you do: Travel to Navy ships, defense contractors, or overseas sites to support electronic systems
- Pay: $90K–$130K + per diem and travel reimbursement
- Employers: Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, Thales, DRS
- Lifestyle: Variable — some roles are 50% travel; others are site-specific
Your familiarity with Navy shipboard environments and systems makes you exceptionally competitive for FSE roles supporting Navy contracts.
The Avionics Track
If you worked with shipboard aviation electronics (radar, IFF, TACAN, radio), the FAA Avionics Technician Certificate is your entry to civilian aviation:
- Aviation maintenance organizations (MROs): Inspect, repair, and certify avionics for commercial and military aircraft
- Airlines: Delta, American, United all have large avionics maintenance operations
- Regional MRO shops: Smaller operators, broader role scope, faster advancement
- Avionics technician salary: $80K–$115K; senior/lead: $100K–$130K
Industrial Electronics and Automation
If you want to stay domestic and avoid defense contracting, industrial automation is booming:
- PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programming and maintenance — factory automation; $75K–$100K
- Industrial control systems — power plants, water treatment, manufacturing
- Building automation systems (BAS) — commercial building controls
Recommended cert: CompTIA Linux+ or Siemens PLC certification for industrial automation track.
Federal Jobs for Navy ET Veterans
USAJOBS target series:
- GS-0856 (Electronics Technician) — primary match
- GS-0855 (Electronics Engineer) — for those with engineering responsibilities
- GS-2182 (Electronics Engineer — DoD) — Navy-specific engineering roles
SPAWAR (now NAVWAR), NAVSEA, and PEO IWS post GS-0856 positions regularly. Your ET background is directly recognized.
Your 90-Day Action Plan
- Get your FCC GROL — fast exam, high value, directly validates your comms experience
- Register on ClearanceJobs.com with your clearance — defense electronics recruiters contact cleared ET veterans constantly
- Apply to Raytheon or L3Harris SkillBridge programs 6 months before EAOS
- Search USAJOBS for GS-0856 at NAVSEA and NAVWAR — familiar systems, direct experience match
- Run your evaluations through Debriefed — translate Navy system designators (AN/SPS-49, AN/SLQ-32) into generic radar/EW/communications terminology civilian employers understand
The defense electronics industry has a persistent experienced-technician shortage. Navy ET experience is among the most directly translatable of any military background. The credential bridge is short.