Materials engineer

Materials engineers research and design new or improved materials for a diverse number of applications. They analyse the composition of materials, conduct experiments, and develop new materials for industry-specific use that can range from rubber, to textiles, glass, metals, and chemicals. They advise companies in damage assessments, quality assurance of materials, and recycling of materials.

The following job titles also refer to materials engineer:

construction materials engineering adviser
materials engineering expert
construction materials engineering specialist
building materials engineering specialist
materials engineering consultant
construction materials engineering consultant
construction materials engineering expert
construction materials engineer
materials engineering adviser
building materials engineering expert
material engineer
building materials engineering adviser
building materials engineer
materials engineering specialist
ceramic engineer
building materials engineering consultant

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as materials engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

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.

Materials engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to materials engineer.

nanoengineer
chemical engineer
surface engineer
fire prevention and protection engineer
biomedical engineer

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

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of materials engineer.

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.
Analytical chemistry: Instruments and methods used to separate, identify and quanitfy matter – the chemical components of natural and artificial materials and solutions.
Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
Material mechanics: The behaviour of solid objects when subjected to stresses and strains, and the methods to calculate these stresses and strains.
Manufacturing processes: The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.
Engineering processes: The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
Composite materials: The properties of different materials developped in a laboratory, their usage per type of products, and how to create them.
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.
Thermoplastic materials: Types of materials of which the physical state changes when exposed to heat, as well as the specific manner in which the materials react to heat exposure.

These skills are necessary for the role of materials engineer.

Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Test materials: Test the composition, characteristics, and use of materials in order to create new products and applications. Test them under normal and extraordinary conditions.
Forecast organisational risks: Analyse the operations and actions of a company in order to assess their repercussions, possible risks for the company, and to develop suitable strategies to address these.
Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
Perform chemical experiments: Perform chemical experiments with the aim of testing various products and substances in order to draw conclusions in terms of product viability and replicability.
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.
Integrate new products in manufacturing: Assist with the integration of new systems, products, methods, and components in the production line. Ensure that production workers are properly trained and follow the new requirements.
Work with chemicals: Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.
Test chemical samples: Perform the testing procedures on the already prepared chemical samples, by using the necessary equipment and materials. Chemical sample testing involves operations such as pipetting or diluting schemes.
Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.
Assess environmental impact: Monitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation’s environmental risks while taking costs into account.
Analyse production processes for improvement: Analyse production processes leading toward improvement. Analyse in order to reduce production losses and overall manufacturing costs.
Approve engineering design: Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

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

Textile materials: Have a good understanding of the properties of different textile materials.
Pollution legislation: Be familiar with European and National legislation regarding the risk of pollution.
Types of metal: Qualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.
Laboratory techniques: Techniques applied in the different fields of natural science in order to obtain experimental data such as gravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, electronic or thermic methods.
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.
Types of plastic: Types of plastic materials and their chemical composition, physical properties, possible issues and usage cases.
Electricity: Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.
Semiconductors: Semiconductors are essential components of electronic circuits and contain properties of both insulators, such as glass, and conductors, such as copper. Most semiconductors are crystals made of silicon or germanium. By introducing other elements in the crystal through doping, the crystals turn into semiconductors. Depending on the amount of electrons created by the doping process, the crystals turn into N-type semiconductors, or P-type semiconductors.
Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.
Basic chemicals: The production and characteristisc of organic basic chemicals such as ethanol, methanol, benzene and inorganic basic chemicals such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen.

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

Perform laboratory tests: Carry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.
Assess the feasibility of implementing developments: Study developments and innovation proposals in order to determine their applicability in the business and their feasibility of implementation from various fronts such as economic impact, business image, and consumer response.
Develop chemical products: Research and create new chemicals and plastics used in the production of a variety of goods such as pharmaceuticals, textile, building materials and household products.
Advise on pollution prevention: Advise individuals and organisations on the development and implementation of actions which aid in the prevention of pollution and its related risks.
Define quality standards: Define, in collaboration with managers and quality experts, a set of quality standards to ensure compliance with regulations and help achieve customers’ requirements.
Design prototypes: Design prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.
Advise on waste management procedures: Advise organisations on the implementation of waste regulations and on improvement strategies for waste management and waste minimisation, to increase environmentally sustainable practices and environmental awareness.

2149 – Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified

 

 

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References

1. Materials engineer – ESCO