MATERIALS ENGINEERING

DANIEL NEWCOMB

P.8

9/18-25/2015

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Materials engineers typically do the following:

• Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with others as necessary

• Prepare proposals and budgets, analyze labor costs, write reports, and perform other managerial tasks

• Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists

• Design and direct the testing of processing procedures

• Monitor how materials perform and evaluate how they deteriorate

• Determine causes of product failure and develop solutions

• Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to the design objectives of processes or products

REQUIRED TRAINING

• A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program

• A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam

• Relevant work experience

• A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A MATERIALS ENGINEER• Analytical skills. Materials engineers often work on projects related to other fields of engineering. They must be able to

determine how materials will be used in a wide variety of conditions and how the materials must be structured to withstand the requirements of those conditions.

• Math skills. Materials engineers use the principles of calculus and other advanced topics in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

• Problem-solving skills. Materials engineers must understand the relationship between the structure of materials and their properties and means of processing, and how these factors affect the product. They must also figure out why a product might have failed, design a solution, and then conduct tests to make sure the product does not fail again. This involves being able to identify root causes when many factors could be at fault.

• Speaking skills. In supervising technicians, technologists, and other engineers, materials engineers must be able to state concepts and directions clearly. When speaking with managers at high-level meetings, these engineers must also be able to communicate engineering concepts to people who do not have an engineering background.

• Writing skills. Materials engineers must write plans and reports clearly so that people without a materials engineering background can understand the concepts.

TYPICAL WAGES

• In May 2012, the median annual wages in the top five industries employing these engineers were as follows:

• Federal government, excluding postal service $109,810

• Aerospace product and parts manufacturing $97,160

• Scientific research and development services $86,250

• Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing $84,090

• Architectural, engineering, and related services $80,080

JOB OUTLOOK

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• ASM International or The American Society for Metals

• Certification

• ABET or Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

• Accreditation

JOB LISTING

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm

• http://www.discovere.org/discover-engineering/engineering-careers/materials-science

• http://www.asminternational.org/about-asm

• http://www.abet.org/

• http://www.glassdoor.com/Job/materials-engineer-jobs-SRCH_KO0,18.htm