Will “Materials Engineers” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔
2.1% Chance of Automation
“Materials Engineers” 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
Also Known As…
- Test Engineer
- Research Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Metallurgist
- Metallurgical Engineer
- Materials Research Engineer
- Materials Engineer
- Materials Development Engineer
- Materials Branch Chief
- Materials and Processes Manager
- Welding Engineer
- Testing Engineer
- Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE)
- Stress Engineer
- Smelting Engineer
- Refining Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Plating Engineer
- Plastics Engineer
- Physical Metallurgist
- Nanotechnologist
- Metallurgical Specialist
- Metallographer
- Material Analyst
- Green Building Materials Designer
- Glass Science Engineer
- Foundry Process Engineer
- Foundry Metallurgist
- Forensic Materials Engineer
- Failure Analysis Technician
- Extractive Metallurgist
- Design Engineer
- Corrosion Engineer
- Ceramics Test Engineer
- Ceramic Research Engineer
- Ceramic Design Engineer
- Automation Engineer
Tasks for “Materials Engineers”
- Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration.
- Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
- Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.
- Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
- Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
- Teach in colleges and universities.
- Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components with computers.
- Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
- Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
- Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection based on design objectives, such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
- 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.
- Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.
- Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
- Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
- Design processing plants and equipment.
- Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.
- Guide technical staff engaged in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.
- Plan and implement laboratory operations for the purpose of developing material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.
- Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives as necessary.
Related Technology & Tools
- Steam autoclaves
- Fiberscopes
- Twin-screw extruders
- Jaw crushers
- Laser Doppler velocimeters LDV
- Adiabatic bomb calorimeters
- Laboratory pulverizers
- Digital cameras
- Fourier transform infrared FTIR spectroscopes
- Infrared monitors
- Thermal analysis systems
- High tension separators
- Inert atmosphere box furnaces
- Vacuum evaporators
- Polishing machines
- Colorimeters
- Sample presses
- Drying ovens
- Micromanipulators
- Sonometers
- Hardness testers
- Electrostatic separators
- Fume hoods
- Etching equipment
- Filter presses
- Laboratory microwave ovens
- Masonry cutters
- Concrete test hammers
- Electronic toploading balances
- Dataloggers
- Ultrasonicators
- Plasma-arc furnaces
- Rod mills
- Current versus voltage IV curve tracers
- Charpy impact testers
- Digitizing oscilloscopes
- Polarizing microscopes
- Accelerated weathering machines
- Laminators
- Sanding machines
- Isodynamic separators
- Calorimeters
- Linear variable differential transformers LVDT
- Liquid conditioners
- Solvent dryers
- Specific gravity balances
- Graphite element furnaces
- Attritors
- Tension gauges
- Ultraviolet UV exposure units
- Mass spectrometers
- Adhesion testers
- Compression testing machines
- Ultrasound inspection equipment
- Spectrophotometers
- Energy dispersive x-ray spectrometers EDS
- Laboratory blenders
- Lapping wheels
- Roll crushers
- Load frames
- Impact testers
- Counter-current mixers
- pH testers
- Computerized numerical control CNC lathes
- Oscillating water tunnels
- Infrared cameras
- Lathes
- Twin screw extruders
- Servohydraulic test machines
- Magnetic susceptibility balances
- Viscosity meters
- Balling drums
- Laboratory vacuum pumps
- Heated walk-in environmental chambers
- Durometers
- High temperature material testing systems
- Gas detectors
- Solid state laser systems
- Flotation columns
- Thermogravimetric analyzers
- Laboratory test sieves
- Acoustic impediography equipment
- Microwave sintering furnaces
- Microwave tube furnaces
- Ultrasonic baths
- Mechanical sieve shakers
- Wind tunnels
- Benchtop centrifuges
- Binocular compound microscopes
- Band saws
- Microscope photo attachments
- Screw-driven test machines
- Gauss meters
- Optical emission spectrometers
- Scanning electron microscopes SEM
- Stabilometers
- Kneading compactors
- Pycnometers
- Spectrometers
- Atomic absorption AA spectrophotometers
- Ammeters
- Rotating furnaces
- Vacuum furnaces
- Water-cooled saws
- Computer numerical controlled CNC milling machines
- Tensile testers
- Electrometers
- Injection molding machines
- Molecular pumps
- Optical compound microscopes
- Flame photometers
- Spectrocolorimeters
- Deionizers
- Laboratory glove boxes
- Particle size analyzers
- Water burets
- Turbidimeters
- Slurry blenders
- Freeze-thaw test units
- Muffle furnaces
- X ray fluorescence XRF spectrometers
- Differential thermal analyzers
- Hydraulic presses
- Jar mills
- Porosity indicators
- Coordinate measuring machines CMM
- Pit depth gauges
- Diffractometers
- Vacuum coating systems
- Personal computers
- High pressure liquid chromatograph HPLC equipment
- Differential scanning calorimeters
- Safety gloves
- Atomic force microscopes
- Abrasion testers
- Laboratory sample splitters
- Gel permeation chromatographs GPC
- Ultrasonic dismembrators
- Vibration analysis equipment
- Stereo microscopes
- Ball mills
- Melt spinners
- Solar simulators
- Drop weight impact towers
- High-vacuum tensile testing chambers
- Cement mixers
- Film thickness measurement systems
- Magnetic separators
- Reflectometers
- Friction and wear testers
- Holding jigs
- Accelerometers
- Extensometers
- X ray fluorescence XRF analyzers
- Gyratory crushers
- Tube furnaces
- Safety glasses
- Gas chromatographs GC
- Electron microprobe analyzers EMPA
- Permeability measuring devices
- Microwave autoclaves
- Analytical balances
- Hot blenders
- Strain gauges
- Temperature regulated shaking water baths
- Microsoft Visual Basic.NET
- Fused deposition modeling FDM rapid prototyping systems
- Image analysis systems
- Presentation software
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Word processing software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Visio
- MTS Testworks
- C++
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Graphics software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Office
- Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
- ANSYS Multiphysics
- Data entry software
- Microsoft Excel
- Minitab
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- QMC CM4D
- SAP
- Microsoft Word
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Microsoft Outlook
- Fault detection isolation and recovery FDIR software
- IBM Notes
- Digital image correlation DIC software
- Stereolithography SLA rapid prototyping systems