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2.1% Chance of Automation

“Materials Engineer” will not be replaced by robots.

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Job Description

Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 17-2131.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 97,050.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 46.00
Currently, there are 26,800 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Materials Engineers”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Materials Engineer”

Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
Guide technical staff engaged in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.
Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.
Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection based on design objectives, such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components with computers.
Teach in colleges and universities.
Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.
Design processing plants and equipment.
Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.
Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.
Plan and implement laboratory operations for the purpose of developing material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.
Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration.
Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.
Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives as necessary.

Related Technology & Tools

Concrete test hammers
Band saws
Coordinate measuring machines CMM
Fiberscopes
Microwave sintering furnaces
Ultraviolet UV exposure units
Differential scanning calorimeters
Thermogravimetric analyzers
Isodynamic separators
Polarizing microscopes
Spectrophotometers
Deionizers
Reflectometers
Magnetic separators
Pycnometers
Rotating furnaces
Spectrocolorimeters
Electrostatic separators
Fume hoods
Ball mills
Ultrasound inspection equipment
Graphite element furnaces
Optical compound microscopes
Tensile testers
Digital cameras
Permeability measuring devices
Inert atmosphere box furnaces
Scanning electron microscopes SEM
Mechanical sieve shakers
Muffle furnaces
Etching equipment
Laboratory glove boxes
Twin screw extruders
Laboratory microwave ovens
Vibration analysis equipment
Steam autoclaves
Laboratory test sieves
Stabilometers
High-vacuum tensile testing chambers
Digitizing oscilloscopes
Wind tunnels
Holding jigs
Lapping wheels
Compression testing machines
Computerized numerical control CNC lathes
Laboratory pulverizers
Fourier transform infrared FTIR spectroscopes
Gas detectors
Mass spectrometers
Dataloggers
Benchtop centrifuges
Cement mixers
Flotation columns
Electrometers
Plasma-arc furnaces
Differential thermal analyzers
High pressure liquid chromatograph HPLC equipment
Jaw crushers
Tube furnaces
Colorimeters
Microscope photo attachments
Laboratory blenders
Strain gauges
Atomic force microscopes
Safety glasses
Solvent dryers
Water-cooled saws
Water burets
Attritors
Diffractometers
Laboratory sample splitters
Slurry blenders
Vacuum furnaces
Stereo microscopes
Calorimeters
Hardness testers
Injection molding machines
Twin-screw extruders
Ultrasonicators
Servohydraulic test machines
Binocular compound microscopes
Optical emission spectrometers
Pit depth gauges
Abrasion testers
Charpy impact testers
Adiabatic bomb calorimeters
Drying ovens
Balling drums
Ammeters
Current versus voltage IV curve tracers
Laminators
Micromanipulators
Ultrasonic dismembrators
Vacuum coating systems
Magnetic susceptibility balances
Microwave tube furnaces
Sanding machines
Oscillating water tunnels
Roll crushers
Lathes
Porosity indicators
High temperature material testing systems
Hot blenders
Load frames
Accelerated weathering machines
Laser Doppler velocimeters LDV
Adhesion testers
Energy dispersive x-ray spectrometers EDS
Microwave autoclaves
Electron microprobe analyzers EMPA
Drop weight impact towers
Film thickness measurement systems
Sonometers
Infrared monitors
Heated walk-in environmental chambers
Kneading compactors
Viscosity meters
Acoustic impediography equipment
Thermal analysis systems
Solar simulators
Ultrasonic baths
Tension gauges
High tension separators
Freeze-thaw test units
Laboratory vacuum pumps
Masonry cutters
Accelerometers
Turbidimeters
Electronic toploading balances
Friction and wear testers
Linear variable differential transformers LVDT
X ray fluorescence XRF spectrometers
Flame photometers
Vacuum evaporators
Jar mills
Liquid conditioners
Screw-driven test machines
Durometers
Computer numerical controlled CNC milling machines
Counter-current mixers
Analytical balances
Rod mills
Solid state laser systems
Infrared cameras
Filter presses
Extensometers
Spectrometers
X ray fluorescence XRF analyzers
Gel permeation chromatographs GPC
Hydraulic presses
Particle size analyzers
Impact testers
Safety gloves
Specific gravity balances
Gauss meters
Temperature regulated shaking water baths
Melt spinners
Atomic absorption AA spectrophotometers
pH testers
Gyratory crushers
Polishing machines
Gas chromatographs GC
Sample presses
Molecular pumps
Personal computers

Graphics software
Web browser software
PTC Creo Parametric
Image analysis systems
Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
C++
Microsoft Visual Basic.NET
Microsoft Visio
Word processing software
Fused deposition modeling FDM rapid prototyping systems
Stereolithography SLA rapid prototyping systems
Digital image correlation DIC software
QMC CM4D
Presentation software
Fault detection isolation and recovery FDIR software
Data entry software
Microsoft Excel
Minitab
ANSYS Multiphysics
Microsoft SharePoint
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
SAP
Computer aided design CAD software
National Instruments LabVIEW
Microsoft Outlook
Dassault Systemes CATIA
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Visual Basic
IBM Notes
Autodesk AutoCAD
MTS Testworks