Occupational Profile & 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.

Alternative Tech Titles

Daily Duties & Technical Responsibilities

• Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
• Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
• Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.

Salary Expectations

Compensation scales with programming language expertise, certifications, and seniority.