Materials Engineer

Answer 1

Materials engineering is the field of engineering concentrating on the research and development of materials for various industrial uses. They are typically involved in the production of materials that are used to make products that range from computer hardware to the composite materials in snow skis and compound bows. Materials engineers often specialize in working with a specific type of material; common classifications are those who work with semi-conductors, metals, ceramics, composites, and plastics.

All of these engineers work with a specific material, or group of materials, with single goal being to create a material that fits a certain industrial requirement through manipulating the original material or by using advanced scientific means to combine several materials to make a new one. The latter strategy is known as composites. Composites have become one the largest fields of materials engineering due to the endless possibilities for creating new and useful materials.

Recent developments in technology have greatly increased the efficacy of materials engineering. Engineers are now able to simulate materials on an atomic level through the use of computer technology. This allows scientists and engineers to experiment and theorize in ways that were never possible in the past.

The minimum requirements to become a materials engineer are to earn a bachelor’s degree in materials engineering. It is also very common for engineers with degrees in another engineering concentration, such as mechanical or chemical engineering, to cross over into the field. Positions that require graduate degrees are more common in this field than any other due to the highly scientific nature of the materials science.

The job outlook for the Materials engineer is expected to be good. Demand for materials engineers will increase with the more common use of engineered materials such as those produced by biotechnology and Nanotechnology. Materials engineers earn starting salaries that are well above those that are for the average graduate of a bachelor’s degree program, but average amongst the engineering specialties. The average starting salaries for materials engineers are typically around $55,000 to $60,000. The average salary for a materials engineer is $73,000, with the lowest salaries paid in the fields being $50,000 and the most highly paid being more than $120,000.