What does a materials research engineer do?
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.
Materials research engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real materials research engineer resumes:
- 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.
- Pinpoint dangerous proximity of carbon monoxide outlet to ventilation inlet for the building during safety inspection (potential life-threatening ramifications).
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when need.
Materials research engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Materials Research Engineers are proficient in Materials Research, Research Projects, and Characterization Techniques. They’re also known for soft skills such as Speaking skills, Writing skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Materials Research Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Materials Research, 13%
Research Engineer, Energy & Materials Researched mechanical properties of new fuel cell materials and performed failure analysis on electrode components.
- Research Projects, 8%
Manage research projects and develop new adhesive materials that enable light-weighting of vehicle.
- Characterization Techniques, 7%
Utilized laboratory machinery and progressive characterization techniques to identify an unknown sample given.
- Synthesis, 7%
Co-authored a patent application for a low-cost synthesis method of solar semiconductors.
- Additive Manufacturing, 7%
Evaluate customer prototype designs for manufacturing feasibility in support of qualification efforts of additive manufacturing processes for advanced hardware.
- R, 5%
Developed a data extract validation application utilizing R that incorporates XML files to dynamically generate SQL statements for data reconciliation.
"materials research," "research projects," and "characterization techniques" are among the most common skills that materials research engineers use at work. You can find even more materials research engineer responsibilities below, including:
Speaking skills. The most essential soft skill for a materials research engineer to carry out their responsibilities is speaking skills. This skill is important for the role because "while working with technicians, technologists, and other engineers, materials engineers must state concepts and directions clearly." Additionally, a materials research engineer resume shows how their duties depend on speaking skills: "performed data analysis on testing results and presented to supervisor in team meetings. "
Writing skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling materials research engineer duties is writing skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "materials engineers must write plans and reports clearly so that people without a materials engineering background can understand the concepts." According to a materials research engineer resume, here's how materials research engineers can utilize writing skills in their job responsibilities: "worked as a c programmer writing applications on a pc embedded in a medical instrument. "
Analytical skills. materials research engineers are also known for analytical skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to materials research engineer responsibilities, because "materials engineers often work on projects related to other fields of engineering." A materials research engineer resume example shows how analytical skills is used in the workplace: "research engineer, energy & materials researched mechanical properties of new fuel cell materials and performed failure analysis on electrode components. "
Math skills. A big part of what materials research engineers do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to materials research engineer responsibilities because "materials engineers use the principles of calculus and other advanced topics in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical materials research engineer tasks: "subject matter expert in analytical and quantitative parameter estimation, dynamics and signal processing. "
Problem-solving skills. A commonly-found skill in materials research engineer job descriptions, "problem-solving skills" is essential to what materials research engineers do. Materials research engineer responsibilities rely on this skill because "materials engineers must understand the relationship between materials’ structures, their properties, how they are made, and how these factors affect the products they are used to make." You can also see how materials research engineer duties rely on problem-solving skills in this resume example: "assisted in the analysis and resolution of design and production issues increasing welding success company-wide. "
The three companies that hire the most materials research engineers are:
- Oshkosh4 materials research engineers jobs
- PSEA3 materials research engineers jobs
- General Electric2 materials research engineers jobs
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Compare different materials research engineers
Materials research engineer vs. Engineering associate
An engineering associate is an individual whose job duties include analysis of project plans, development of product designs, and maintenance of equipment. The engineering fields where an engineering associate can find a job include civil, mechanical, and environmental. The requirements to qualify for the position include obtaining a bachelor's degree in engineering, familiarity with a specific industry, prior work experience related to the field, and possessing strong technical skills.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between materials research engineers and engineering associate. For instance, materials research engineer responsibilities require skills such as "materials research," "research projects," "characterization techniques," and "synthesis." Whereas a engineering associate is skilled in "python," "java," "cad," and "c #." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Engineering associates earn the highest salaries when working in the energy industry, with an average yearly salary of $88,950. On the other hand, materials research engineers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $101,507.On average, engineering associates reach lower levels of education than materials research engineers. Engineering associates are 5.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 8.5% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Materials research engineer vs. 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.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that materials research engineer responsibilities requires skills like "materials research," "research projects," "characterization techniques," and "synthesis." But a development engineer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "java," "python," "c #," and "software development."
Development engineers earn a higher average salary than materials research engineers. But development engineers earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $105,648. Additionally, materials research engineers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $101,507 annually.development engineers earn similar levels of education than materials research engineers in general. They're 1.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 8.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for materials research engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Shenda Baker
President and CEO, Treasurer of the Materials Research Society, Synedgen
Materials research engineer vs. 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. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, materials research engineers are more likely to have skills like "materials research," "research projects," "characterization techniques," and "synthesis." But a equipment engineer is more likely to have skills like "equipment performance," "semiconductor," "project management," and "cad."
Equipment engineers earn the highest salary when working in the energy industry, where they receive an average salary of $108,645. Comparatively, materials research engineers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $101,507.Most equipment engineers achieve a lower degree level compared to materials research engineers. For example, they're 6.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 8.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Materials research engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Types of materials research engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
