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“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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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