Material testing technician

Description

Material testing technicians perform a variety of tests on materials such as soils, concrete, masonry and asphalt, in order to verify conformance to intended usage cases and specifications.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to material testing technician:

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Minimum qualifications

An associate’s degree in engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, or computer science is generally required to work as a material testing technician.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Material testing technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Material testing technician career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to material testing technician.

fire safety tester
metrology technician
quality engineering technician
industrial waste inspector
geology technician

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of material testing technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of material testing technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

assayer
surface engineer
research engineer
calculation engineer
analytical chemist

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of material testing technician.

  • Health, safety and hygiene legislation: The set of health, safety and hygiene standards and items of legislation applicable in a specific sector.
  • Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of material testing technician.

  • Perform laboratory tests: Carry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.
  • Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
  • Report test findings: Report test results with a focus on findings and recommendations, differentiating results by levels of severity. Include relevant information from the test plan and outline the test methodologies, using metrics, tables, and visual methods to clarify where needed.
  • Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
  • Apply safety procedures in laboratory: Make sure that laboratory equipment is used in a safe manner and the handling of samples and specimens is correct. Work to ensure the validity of results obtained in research.
  • Use testing equipment: Use equipment to test performance and operation of machinery.
  • Maintain test equipment: Maintain equipment used for testing the quality of systems and products.
  • Operate scientific measuring equipment: Operate devices, machinery, and equipment designed for scientific measurement. Scientific equipment consists of specialised measuring instruments refined to facilitate the acquisition of data.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of material testing technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Materials science: Field of science and engineering that researches new materials on the basis of their structure, properties, synthesis, and performance for a variety of purposes, including increasing fire resistance of construction materials.
  • Physics: The natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.
  • Biology: Tissues, cells, and functions of plant and animal organisms and their interdependencies and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Chemistry: The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of material testing technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Collect samples for analysis: Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.
  • Develop material testing procedures: Develop testing protocols in collaboration with engineers and scientists to enable a variety of analyses such as environmental, chemical, physical, thermal, structural, resistance or surface analyses on a wide range of materials such as metals, ceramics or plastics.
  • Analyse test data: Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.
  • Use non-destructive testing equipment: Use specific non-destructive testing methods and equipment that do not cause any damage to the product, such as X-rays, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, industrial CT scanning and others, in order to find defects in and assure quality of a manufactured and a repaired product.
  • Conduct soil sample tests: Analyse and test soil samples; determine gas chromatography and gather relevant isotope and carbon information; determine viscosity.
  • Analyse stress resistance of materials: Analyse the ability of materials to endure stress imposed by temperature, loads, motion, vibration, and other factors using mathematical formulae and computer simulations.
  • Conduct field work: Conduct field work or research which is the collection of information outside of a laboratory or workplace setting. Visit places in order to collect specific information about the field.
  • Liaise with engineers: Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.
  • Provide technical expertise: Provide expert knowledge in a particular field, especially concerning mechanical or scientific subjects, to decision makers, engineers, technical staff or journalists.
  • Assist scientific research: Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.
  • Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
  • Label samples: Label raw material/ product samples for laboratory checks, according to implemented quality system.

ISCO group and title

3111 – Chemical and physical science technicians


References
  1. Material testing technician – ESCO
Last updated on February 12, 2023