Will “Plastics Engineer” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

2.1% Chance of Automation

“Plastics Engineer” will not be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #88 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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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 “Plastics Engineer”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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