How To Become A Materials Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a materials specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A materials specialist is an individual who specializes in the properties, uses, and development of various materials. They typically work in fields such as engineering or manufacturing. Materials specialists are responsible for researching, testing, and analyzing materials to determine their properties and potential applications. They must stay up-to-date on new developments in materials science and technology. They must have strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently or as part of a team.

ScoreMaterials SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.4

Avg. Salary $44,143

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.6

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.02%

Asian 6.62%

Black or African American 10.26%

Hispanic or Latino 18.54%

Unknown 5.64%

White 57.92%

Gender

female 35.55%

male 64.45%

Age - 35

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35

Stress level

4.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.6

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a materials specialist?

Pros

Opportunity to work with new and innovative materials
Chance to work on projects from various industries
Potential for high salary and job security
Opportunity for career advancement
Ability to work in a collaborative environment

Cons

High level of responsibility and pressure to deliver quality results
May require long hours and tight deadlines
Can be mentally and physically demanding
Need to stay up-to-date with constantly evolving technology and materials
May require working in hazardous or challenging environments

Key steps to become a materials specialist

Explore materials specialist education requirements

Most common materials specialist degrees

Bachelor's

47.0 %

Associate

23.2 %

High School Diploma

18.3 %

Start to develop specific materials specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	9.16%
Logistics	8.19%
Data Entry	5.87%
Purchase Orders	5.70%
Inventory Control	5.03%

Research materials specialist duties and responsibilities

Manage the receiving of all HAZMAT items and issuing those items out as needed by aircraft maintenance.
Utilize hand hold computerized RF or PC to accomplish daily order pulling of materials to be package and ship.
Manage ISO documentation for corporate purchasing.
Call vendors to expedite orders.

Prepare your materials specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your materials specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a materials specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable materials specialist resume templates

Build a professional materials specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your materials specialist resume.