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2E091E Career Guide

Air Force

2E091E: Ground Radar Systems Technician

Career transition guide for Air Force Ground Radar Systems Technician (2E091E)

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Tech Roles You Could Aim For

Real industry tech roles your 2E091E background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.

Site Reliability Engineer

DevOps / Platform

SOC 15-1244
High match

Your experience maintaining complex radar systems translates well to ensuring the reliability and uptime of software systems. You already have experience with system modeling, troubleshooting, and after-action analysis, which are all critical skills for an SRE. You can leverage your existing skills in networking, communications, and signal processing in this role.

Typical stack:

LinuxOne scripting language (Python or Go)Observability stack (Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry)Incident response practicesCloud platform basics

DevOps Engineer

DevOps / Platform

SOC 15-1244
High match

As a Ground Radar Systems Technician, you planned and implemented installations of radar systems, interpreted maintenance and installation policy, and coordinated with agencies to ensure systems support. That background directly relates to the responsibilities of a DevOps engineer, who automates and streamlines software development and deployment processes. Your experience with digital signal processing and networking will also be valuable.

Typical stack:

CI/CD tooling (GitHub Actions, GitLab, Jenkins)Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Pulumi)Containers (Docker, Kubernetes)Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)Linux

Network Engineer

Infrastructure

SOC 15-1241
Good match

Your experience with ground radar systems maintenance, antenna systems, waveguides, and communications subsystems directly aligns with the responsibilities of a network engineer. You already possess skills in troubleshooting, testing, and repairing network components, as well as interpreting technical documentation.

Typical stack:

TCP/IP fundamentalsRouting protocols (BGP, OSPF)Firewall and VPN configurationCloud networkingCisco or Juniper hands-on

Security Engineer

Security

SOC 15-1212
Moderate match

Your background in radar systems, communications, and identification equipment gives you a foundation for understanding network security principles. Your experience with system modeling and procedural compliance can be applied to identifying and mitigating security risks. Additionally, your work with ground-to-air radio systems and radar data remoting systems provides you with insight into potential vulnerabilities in data transmission.

Typical stack:

Networking and OS internalsCryptography fundamentalsThreat modelingCloud security (IAM, VPC)Code review for security

Skills You Already Have

Concrete bridges from 2E091E experience to tech-industry practice.

  • Radar Principles and Theory→ Understanding of signal processing and data analysis techniques used in software systems.
  • Antenna Systems and Waveguides→ Knowledge of network infrastructure and communication protocols.
  • Transmitter and Receiver Troubleshooting→ Ability to diagnose and resolve issues in complex systems.
  • Digital Signal Processing→ Skills in data manipulation and analysis, applicable to various software engineering tasks.
  • Technical Order Interpretation→ Familiarity with technical documentation and the ability to follow detailed instructions.
  • System Modeling→ Understanding and predicting the behavior of complex systems
  • Degraded-Mode Operations→ Ability to maintain functionality under less-than-ideal circumstances
  • Procedural Compliance→ Commitment to adhering to established protocols and regulations
  • After-Action Analysis→ Systematically evaluating past activities to identify areas for improvement

Skills to Learn

The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.

Linux system administration fundamentalsCloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) basicsContainerization with Docker and orchestration with KubernetesInfrastructure-as-code (IaC) tools like Terraform or AnsibleCI/CD pipeline implementation using Jenkins, GitLab CI, or CircleCIScripting languages such as Python or BashNetwork security principles and best practicesSecurity tools such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and SIEMVulnerability assessment and penetration testing techniquesNetworking fundamentals (TCP/IP, routing, switching)Network monitoring and analysis tools (e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump)Network automation using Python and Ansible

How VWC fits

Vets Who Code accelerates the parts we teach — software engineering fundamentals, web development, AI tooling. For everything else above, the path is doable independently with the resources we link to.

See VWC Programs

Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 2E091E veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Avionics Technician

$75K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) licenseSpecific aircraft model training

Electronics Technician

$65K
High matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

CompTIA A+ certificationSpecific industry certifications (e.g., IPC)PLC Knowledge

Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer

$60K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Fiber optic certificationExperience with specific telecom equipment brands (e.g., Cisco, Juniper)

Radar Technician

$80K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Experience with specific radar systems used in civilian aviation or weather monitoringCommercial radar certifications

Wind Turbine Technician

$58K
Moderate matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Wind turbine safety and maintenance certificationClimbing and rescue trainingElectrical troubleshooting in renewable energy systems

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 2E091E training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

You used schematics, layout drawings, and pictorial diagrams to understand the structure and function of complex ground radar systems and their subassemblies to troubleshoot and repair them.

This skill translates to understanding and predicting the behavior of complex systems, which is valuable in fields requiring analysis, troubleshooting, and optimization.

Degraded-Mode Operations

You maintained operational readiness by repairing and modifying ground radar systems, even under pressure to meet mission-critical deadlines and maintain system uptime.

The ability to adapt to and maintain functionality under less-than-ideal circumstances is crucial for ensuring business continuity and resilience in challenging environments.

Procedural Compliance

You interpreted maintenance and installation policies, followed technical orders, and adhered to safety standards while installing, repairing, and maintaining ground radar systems.

This demonstrates your commitment to adhering to established protocols and regulations, essential for maintaining quality, safety, and compliance in regulated industries.

After-Action Analysis

You identified maintenance problem areas, initiated corrective actions, and developed methods for improving maintenance effectiveness and efficiency based on past performance and inspection findings.

You can systematically evaluate past activities to identify areas for improvement, optimize processes, and implement preventive measures to enhance future outcomes.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Wind Turbine Technician

SOC 49-9099.01

You've been installing, maintaining, and repairing complex electronic and mechanical systems, which translates directly to wind turbine maintenance. Your troubleshooting skills and ability to work with schematics will be invaluable in diagnosing and repairing turbine malfunctions.

Robotics Technician

SOC 49-9062.00

You're experienced in repairing and maintaining radar subassemblies. You have a strong understanding of electronic systems and troubleshooting, which are key for robotics maintenance and repair. Your ability to interpret technical documents and use test equipment makes you well-suited for this role.

Building Automation Systems Technician

SOC 49-9021.00

You've been responsible for maintaining and repairing complex electronic systems. This experience translates well to managing and troubleshooting building automation systems, where you will use your skills in system modeling and troubleshooting to ensure efficient operation.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Ground Radar Systems Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS

1,100 training hours28 weeksUp to 15 semester hours recommended in electronics technology or telecommunications.

Topics Covered

  • •Radar Principles and Theory
  • •Ground Radar Systems Maintenance
  • •Antenna Systems and Waveguides
  • •Transmitter and Receiver Troubleshooting
  • •Digital Signal Processing
  • •Networking and Communications Subsystems
  • •Radar System Alignment and Calibration
  • •Technical Order Interpretation

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Electronics Technician (CET)70% covered

While the military training provides extensive knowledge of radar systems, specific civilian electronics standards, troubleshooting techniques, and industry best practices need to be studied to pass the CET exam.

CompTIA Network+60% covered

The military training covers a significant portion of networking concepts, but a deeper understanding of civilian networking protocols, security implementations, and troubleshooting methodologies is needed.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Project Management Professional (PMP)CCNP Enterprise

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
AN/TPS-75 RadarLong-range air surveillance radar systems
AN/GPN-27 Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR)Civilian airport primary radar systems
AN/TPX-42A InterrogatorSecondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) transponder interrogators
Mark XII Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)Commercial Air Traffic Control transponders
Video Mapper SystemsGeographic Information System (GIS) software
Ground-to-Air Radio Systems (VHF/UHF)Commercial aviation radio communication systems
Radar Data Remoting SystemsReal-time data streaming platforms

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