Materials Engineers
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.
- Tasks
- 21 tasks20 core, 1 supplemental
- Family
- Architecture & EngineeringOne of its 59 occupations
- Code
- 17-2131.00SOC 2018: 17-2131
What the work is made of
20 core tasks and 1 supplemental, each quoted as published, with the survey it came from.
Core: central to the jobSupplemental: done by some, not all
- Task 1. Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.Core taskTask 9001Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 2. Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.Core taskTask 9004Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 3. Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.Core taskTask 9002Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 4. Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.Core taskTask 9006Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 5. Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.Core taskTask 9005Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 6. Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.Core taskTask 9012Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 7. Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.Core taskTask 9015Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 8. Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.Core taskTask 9013Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 9. Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.Core taskTask 9010Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 10. Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.Core taskTask 9003Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 11. Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.Core taskTask 9014Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 12. Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives, as necessary.Core taskTask 9009Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 13. Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.Core taskTask 9017Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 14. Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.Core taskTask 9008Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 15. Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.Core taskTask 9016Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 16. Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.Core taskTask 9007Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 17. Present technical information at conferences.Core taskTask 21167Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 18. Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers.Core taskTask 9019Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 19. Design processing plants and equipment.Core taskTask 9011Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 20. Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.Core taskTask 9018Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
- Task 21. Teach in colleges and universities.Supplemental taskTask 9020Rated by 21 occupational experts, August 2020
Where this comes from
Quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor, and credited. Nothing on this page is written by us.
How we copy and credit sources- Published byO*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of LaborEmployment and Training Administration
- ClassificationStandard Occupational Classification 2018, 17-2131
- LicenseCC BY 4.0Free to copy and reuse, with credit
- Changed by usNothing.
More in Architecture & Engineering
58 other occupations in this family, each with its own page.
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians11 tasks
- Aerospace Engineers16 tasks
- Agricultural Engineers14 tasks
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval24 tasks
- Architectural and Civil Drafters28 tasks
- Automotive Engineering Technicians18 tasks
- Automotive Engineers25 tasks
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers30 tasks
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians15 tasks
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists14 tasks
- Chemical Engineers13 tasks
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians14 tasks
- Civil Engineers16 tasks
- Computer Hardware Engineers18 tasks
- Drafters, All OtherNo tasks listed
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians30 tasks
- Electrical and Electronics Drafters30 tasks
- Electrical Engineers22 tasks
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians28 tasks
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer20 tasks
- Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar21 tasks
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherNo tasks listed
- Engineers, All OtherNo tasks listed
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians26 tasks
- Environmental Engineers29 tasks
- Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers13 tasks
- Fuel Cell Engineers26 tasks
- Geodetic Surveyors16 tasks
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors27 tasks
- Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists26 tasks
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians30 tasks
- Industrial Engineers20 tasks
- Landscape Architects19 tasks
- Manufacturing Engineers24 tasks
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects30 tasks
- Mechanical Drafters15 tasks
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians30 tasks
- Mechanical Engineers28 tasks
- Mechatronics Engineers23 tasks
- Microsystems Engineers31 tasks
- Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers18 tasks
- Nanosystems Engineers25 tasks
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians25 tasks
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists16 tasks
- Nuclear Engineers20 tasks
- Petroleum Engineers23 tasks
- Photonics Engineers26 tasks
- Photonics Technicians24 tasks
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists21 tasks
- Robotics Engineers24 tasks
- Robotics Technicians22 tasks
- Solar Energy Systems Engineers13 tasks
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians30 tasks
- Surveyors24 tasks
- Transportation Engineers26 tasks
- Validation Engineers21 tasks
- Water/Wastewater Engineers28 tasks
- Wind Energy Engineers16 tasks
Use this record
Every task on this page is free to reuse, with credit to O*NET. The code and data behind the record are public.
Partner with us
Fund the next pass, contribute data, or build on the record. Tell us what you have in mind.
Partner with us