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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 “Research Engineer”

Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
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.
Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.
Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components with computers.
Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.
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.
Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
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.
Design processing plants and equipment.
Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.
Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives as necessary.
Teach in colleges and universities.
Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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