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The differences between materials research engineers and production engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $87,100 average annual salary of a materials research engineer.
The top three skills for a materials research engineer include materials research, research projects and characterization techniques. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Materials Research Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,100 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $41.88 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,912 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A materials research engineer researches, processes, and develops test materials used to create a wide range of products. They must be good in analytical, mechanical, and math skills. They are likely to perform in their role such as formulating their own project concepts, executing technology projects about the development of novel polymer fiber-reinforced composites, and identifying unknown material compositions. Also, they implement powder processing equipment and manufacture tools to improve their efficiency and quality.
A production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.
Materials research engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Research Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,100 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $111,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beaverton, OR | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Nike | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a materials research engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Materials Research Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Materials Science And Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between materials research engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Materials Research Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.1% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 19.6% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 4% |