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“Plastics 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 “Plastics Engineer”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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