How to hire a materials research engineer

How to hire a materials research engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step materials research engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a materials research engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new materials research engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a materials research engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your materials research engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a materials research engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a materials research engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a materials research engineer that fits the bill.

   This list presents materials research engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Materials Research Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Materials Research Engineer	Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products, from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and biomedical devices. They study the properties and structures of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, nanomaterials (extremely small substances), and other substances to create new materials that meet certain mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements.	$32-53
   Development Engineer	A Development Engineer is responsible for the development and validation of products, systems, and components. They are also responsible for quality control of work and continuous improvement of engineer activities.	$33-58
   Equipment Engineer	The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures... Show more	$33-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Materials Research
   • Research Projects
   • Characterization Techniques
   • Synthesis
   • Additive Manufacturing
   • R
   • Statistical Analysis
   • FTIR
   • Material Properties
   • Mechanical Properties
   • DOE
   • Electron Microscope
   • Extrusion
   • Scanning Electron Microscopy

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and successfully complete carbon/epoxy material qualification and gain approval from FAA to use in manufacturing of composite aircraft parts.
   • Determine the shear strength of composite specimens according to ASTM D5379 standards.
   • Perform materials characterization using Raman, UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy; SEM and TEM.
   • Company representative to ASTM for standards and specifications development including the coordination of round-robin testing.
   • Invent thin film optical radiation transducers for IR scene projection devices using novel tune cavity absorber/emitter coating designs.
   • Propose innovative cathode electron gun design to attach emitters to insulator component via laser welding, reducing production part count.

   More materials research engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the materials research engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A materials research engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a materials research engineer in Wisconsin may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level materials research engineer. Additionally, a materials research engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average materials research engineer salary

   $87,100yearly

   $41.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level materials research engineer salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average materials research engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$102,053	$49
   2	Massachusetts	$101,616	$49
   3	Texas	$99,904	$48
   4	Maryland	$99,119	$48
   5	Tennessee	$96,362	$46
   6	North Dakota	$95,623	$46
   7	New York	$94,500	$45
   8	Georgia	$93,751	$45
   9	Minnesota	$93,496	$45
   10	California	$92,995	$45
   11	Michigan	$86,206	$41
   12	South Dakota	$83,924	$40
   13	Alabama	$82,919	$40
   14	Ohio	$75,892	$36

   Average materials research engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Nike	$109,868	$52.82	8
   2	General Motors	$100,280	$48.21	94
   3	Oak Ridge National Laboratory	$99,042	$47.62	32
   4	Fenix	$98,452	$47.33
   5	A123 Systems	$96,936	$46.60	2
   6	Oshkosh	$94,189	$45.28	17
   7	General Electric	$94,076	$45.23	146
   8	Alliance for Sustainable Energy	$93,525	$44.96
   9	Ford Motor	$93,267	$44.84	142
   10	3M Company	$92,775	$44.60	60
   11	Hewlett Packard Enterprise	$91,951	$44.21	15
   12	Jacobs Enterprises	$91,142	$43.82	9
   13	MSX International	$89,758	$43.15
   14	Teva Pharmaceuticals	$89,715	$43.13	6
   15	CVE Group	$89,700	$43.13
   16	Jacobs Engineering Group	$89,199	$42.88
   17	Populus Group	$88,882	$42.73
   18	Xerox	$88,299	$42.45
   19	Pelican Products	$87,199	$41.92
   20	Niagara Bottling	$87,174	$41.91	6

4. Writing a materials research engineer job description

   A job description for a materials research engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a materials research engineer job description:

   Materials research engineer job description example

   Saint-Gobain Research North America is looking for driven, talented, and energetic researchers to join our current team in conducting hands-on laboratory experiments for key development programs. As a Research Engineer II, the candidate will investigate, research, and develop new competencies to help improve processes and products for different businesses within Saint-Gobain. The job will involve interaction with customers and understanding their analytical needs, measurement and analysis of sample data and providing solutions to customers based on a thorough understanding of materials science principles.
   
   Majority of the job will involve solving complex materials related problems using optical and SEM/EDS/EBSD analysis in the microscopy laboratory, managing equipment maintenance and repair, developing new methodologies and timely documentation of results, procedures and new techniques.
   
   Additionally, part of the time will be spent on helping optical profilometry laboratory to assist data acquisition, analysis and reporting.
   
   The candidate will be expected to collaborate effectively with R&D colleagues and external customers, design and conduct experiments, analyze data, and present findings in written and oral formats. In addition to the candidate's primary projects, the candidate will be expected to support projects led by others.
   In addition to the above, the candidate will need to:
   
   * Possess extensive and thorough technical knowledge in the relevant analytical area and a fundamental understanding of the structure and properties of materials.
   * Handle the regular operations of optical/SEM/EDS/EBSD and support the optical profilometry lab with minimal assistance and guidance on administrative aspects of role.
   * Maintain a clean and safe environment in the lab in accordance with Saint-Gobain EHS policies and procedures.
   * Interact effectively with customers to understand their requirements and suggest possible analytical solutions from a materials engineer perspective.
   * Communicate results to customers in a timely manner by submitting clear and concise reports.
   * Ensure regular maintenance of equipment and manage the communication with service vendors for repair.
   * Stay aware of advancing technologies and equipment in the area, and propose for capex when the need and budget fit.
   * Develop novel techniques that enhance the capabilities of the lab, thereby providing customers with more options.
   * Regularly document new methods and procedures as technical reports or SOPs.
   * Manage multiple projects/tasks simultaneously, on time, well documented and within budget to meet customer objectives.
   * Demonstrate open approach in all areas of responsibility, be a team player and able to collaborate with people with different background and technical levels.
   
   COMPETENCIES:
   
   * Must possess a body of technical work commensurate with their years of experience including but not limited to: demonstration of familiarity with statistical tools, data analysis, and drawing conclusions based on a collection of basic data and interpretation, IP, Patents, and technical documents.
   * Demonstrated ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
   * Demonstrate ability to network within and out of group.
   * Respectful communication and ability to collaborate in a team environment required.
   * Demonstrate ability to network within and out of group.
   * Develop ability to maintain composure and organize teams in high pressure situation.
   * Demonstrate understanding of company policies.
   * Demonstrate understanding of corporate structure.
   
   Required Qualifications
   
   * BS Degree with a minimum of 3+ years' experience or MS Degree with a thesis, in Material Science, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry or other related disciplines.
   
   Company Summary
   
   Saint-Gobain Research (SGR) North America is one of Saint-Gobain's largest industrial research laboratories. The center is home to more than 400 employees working at the leading edge of innovation on multidisciplinary industrial research, preparing the future by designing tomorrow's products and processes across an amazing variety of markets and technical disciplines. Since 1985, SGR North America has been supporting existing businesses, developing future businesses, and nurturing talent.
   
   Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions which are key ingredients in the wellbeing of each of us and the future of all. They can be found everywhere in our living places and our daily life: in buildings, transportation, infrastructure and in many industrial applications. They provide comfort, performance and safety while addressing the challenges of sustainable construction, resource efficiency and climate change.
   
   Legal Statement
   
   Saint-Gobain provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Saint-Gobain is an equal opportunity employer of individuals with disabilities and supports the hiring of veterans.

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5. Post your job

   To find materials research engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any materials research engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level materials research engineers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your materials research engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit materials research engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit materials research engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new materials research engineer

   Once you've found the materials research engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new materials research engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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