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Materials Scientist and Engineer

Overview and Key Facts

person working on computer
Education
Education
Bachelor's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$108,310
Job Growth
Job Growth
5.70%
(Above US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
24,300

What Do They Do?

A materials scientist or engineer could...

 
park bench
Develop a way to recycle non-metallic components of old computers to create park benches, fences, and sewer grates.
hip replacement joint
Create a titanium alloy joint that can be used as a permanent hip bone replacement.
pristine white engine
Design a ceramic car engine that is lightweight, fuel efficient, and can run at high temperatures without a cooling system.
mussles
Research the quality of new adhesives that are based on the glue made by a sea mussel.
 
park bench hip replacement joint pristine white engine mussles

Overview Listen to this section

What makes it possible to create high-technology objects like computers and sports gear? It's the materials inside those products. Materials scientists and engineers develop materials, like metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, that other engineers need for their designs. Materials scientists and engineers think atomically (meaning they understand things at the nanoscale level), but they design microscopically (at the level of a microscope), and their materials are used macroscopically (at the level the eye can see). From heat shields in space, prosthetic limbs, semiconductors, and sunscreens to snowboards, race cars, hard drives, and baking dishes, materials scientists and engineers make the materials that make life better.
Watch this video to see how materials engineer Carlos Barrios and his coworkers create and study new sticky materials to make commercial products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtosXFgP7C4

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Materials Scientist and Engineer?


  1. Active Listening: ?
  2. Complex Problem Solving: ?
  3. Reading Comprehension: ?
  4. Science: ?
  5. Critical Thinking: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Materials Scientist and Engineer might do:
  • Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
  • Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
  • Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.
  • 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.
  • Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
  • Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
  • Guide technical staff 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.
  • Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.
  • Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop 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.
  • Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.
  • Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.
  • Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.
  • Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
  • Present technical information at conferences.
  • Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers.
  • Design processing plants and equipment.
  • Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state
No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Materials Scientist and Engineer Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Materials Scientist and Engineer jobs (5.70%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Materials Scientist and Engineer

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

A bachelor's degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, or materials engineering, or a related discipline is the minimum educational requirement; however, many research jobs require a master's degree or, more often, a PhD.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Bachelor's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

Many colleges and universities offer degree programs in chemistry, physics, and engineering. The number of colleges that offer a degree program in materials science and engineering is small, but is gradually increasing.

Students planning careers as materials scientists or engineers should take courses in science and mathematics on their way toward earning a bachelor's degree, should like working with their hands, building scientific apparatus, and performing laboratory experiments, and should like computer modeling.

In addition to taking required courses in analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, undergraduate chemistry majors usually study biological sciences, mathematics, physics, and increasingly, computer science. Computer courses are essential because employers prefer job applicants who are able to apply computer skills to modeling and simulation tasks and operate computerized laboratory equipment. This is increasingly important as combinatorial chemistry and advanced screening techniques are more widely applied. Courses in statistics are useful because materials scientists end engineers need the ability to apply basic statistical techniques.

Companies That Hire Materials Scientist and Engineers

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Tina Tajalli uses what she knows about materials and welding to help other engineers build big projects like oil refineries.
Day-to-day my job involves tasks like revising welding and materials specifications and answering questions involving corrosion, metallurgy, welding, and coatings. 
Tina Tajalli, Materials and Welding Engineer
Read this interview to meet the late Stephanie Kwolek, the great inventor of Kevlar®, a material that can be woven into a fabric and is well-known for its terrific tensile strength and bullet-stopping powers.
I was very much interested in fashion design and I spent countless hours making clothes for my dolls. 
Stephanie Kwolek, Inventor

Nature of the Work

Everything in the environment, whether naturally occurring or of human design, is composed of chemicals. Materials scientists apply chemistry, as well as physics, to study all aspects of materials. Chemistry, however, plays an increasingly dominant role in materials science because it provides information about the structure and composition of materials.

Materials scientists study the structures and chemical properties of various materials to develop new products or to enhance existing ones. They also determine ways to strengthen or combine materials, or to develop new materials for use in a variety of products. Materials science encompasses the natural and synthetic materials used in a wide range of products and structures—from airplanes, cars, and bridges to clothing and household goods. Materials scientists often specialize in specific areas, such as ceramics or metals.

Materials engineers are involved in the development, processing, and testing of the materials used to create a range of products, from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and snow skis. They work with metals, ceramics, plastics, semiconductors, and composites to create new materials that meet certain mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements. They are also involved in selecting materials for new applications. Materials engineers have developed the ability to create and then study materials at an atomic level, using advanced processes to replicate the characteristics of materials and their components with computers. Most materials engineers specialize in a particular material. For example, metallurgical engineers specialize in metals such as steel, and ceramic engineers develop ceramic materials and the processes for making them into useful products, such as glassware or fiber optic communication lines.

Work Environment

Materials scientists and engineers usually work regular hours in offices and laboratories. Research and development materials scientists spend much time in laboratories, but also work in offices when they do theoretical research or plan, record, and report on their lab research. Although some laboratories are small, others are large enough to incorporate prototype chemical manufacturing facilities, as well as advanced testing equipment. In addition to working in a laboratory, materials scientists also work with engineers and processing specialists in industrial manufacturing facilities.

Materials scientists and engineers typically work regular hours. A 40-hour work week is usual, but longer hours are not uncommon. Researchers may be required to work odd hours in laboratories or other locations, depending on the nature of their research.

More Information

Ask Questions

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Additional Resources

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