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Materials Engineers

Also called: Materials Engineer, Materials Research Engineer, Metallurgist, Process Engineer

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Navy.

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
  • Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.
  • Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology
  • product and service development
  • computers and electronics
Math and Science
  • chemistry
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
  • manufacture and distribution of products
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • reading work related information
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • read and understand what is written
Ideas and Logic
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • notice when problems happen
Math
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Initiative
  • Dependability
  • Achievement/Effort

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • ANSYS Multiphysics
  • Digital image correlation DIC software
Development environment software
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
Computer aided design CAD software
  • Autodesk AutoCAD software
  • PTC Pro/ENGINEER software

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Registered Apprenticeship

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$84,550
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about materials engineers.