The material engineering profession demands work on different materials like plastics, metals, ceramics, composites, polymeric, and electronics on an atomic level to create new products. Material engineers have enormously contributed to advancing different tools and technologies that have made our lives easier. 

From medicine, structural, agriculture, and transportation fields to manufacturing, military, and aerospace, there aren't any fields that could have taken such an advancing leap without the dedication and efforts of material engineers.

So, like the predecessors in the field, material engineering has a lot to offer if you have passion and want to make a difference with your innovation and ideas. Here are some of the guiding steps on ‘how to become a material engineer’ that can be helpful in your pursuit of a degree in the sector. 

What Is a Materials Engineer?

A material engineer designs, tests, develops and processes various products ranging from automotive, aerospace, biomedical, and even apparel to everyday products. Material engineers study and evaluate the properties of different materials so they can be used more constructively depending on the project's requirements and tests.

Materials engineers use computers as a primary part of their work, from analyzing and characterising data to creating test materials and diagnoses. They significantly contribute to various engineering disciplines like mechanical, chemical, automotive, electrical, electronics, civil, and even aerospace and nuclear engineering. 

What Are the Roles and Responsibilities of Materials Engineer?

• Develop, test, and evaluate the different natured materials.
• Held relevant research about materials for more efficient results.
• Identify and recommend suitable materials for the clients based on different properties, durability, and cost. 
• Supervise the testing engineers and other staff.
• Run a diagnosis on faults.
• Characterize different materials based on their nature to prevent failures and enhance the final product quality. 
• Propose a new specification or revise the old one to increase the quality.
• Provide material information and data to the engineers.
• Interpret results about the test of material with engineers and write reports.
• As per requirements, observe or participate in the product testing process.
• Collaborate with engineers and other departments, and practice effective communication.
• Design work table plans to finish the projects on time.
• Performed other related assigned tasks.

Qualifications Required to Be a Materials Engineer

1. Analytical Skills

As material engineers, you might have to work on a project that touches different engineering disciplines. You will need excellent analytical skills to determine the nature, quantity, and structure of materials used in such testing. Engineers should be able to oversee the use of relevant materials with the most effective and outstanding results.

2. Problem-Solving

Even after thorough research and preparation, the different natured materials might not react with each other as calculated, the product quality may differ from what was expected, or there might be an overall issue in design. Material engineering should be able to calmly analyze the situation and devise a solution for the current situation. The solution might be resigning the product layout, revising the materials, or conducting alternative tests to get different results. As a material engineer, you should be able to identify the root cause of the problem and try to resolve it with a  befitting solution.

3. Communication Skills

A material engineer should be able to communicate effectively with engineers and other staff members to clarify the concept and directions properly. The lack of a proper communication chain might delay the project's date and create mishaps during the testing or revising. So, the material engineers should possess practical communication skills and relay the information and data efficiently to the engineers and other team members.

4. Leadership Skills

As a material engineer, you might be required to lead a team of other test engineers and technical staff while working on different projects. As the project leader, you must give proper instructions and guidelines to other team members to execute the projects successfully. Lack of leadership quality may result in projects going astray or incidents at the laboratories; thus, with solid leadership quality, you can complete the project according to your precise calculations. 

5. Attention to Details 

The material engineering fields deal with different natured materials from metal, ceramics, composites, nano-micro materials, and other substances. The material engineers are required to pay proper attention to the details. Paying proper heed to the use of these different types of materials in projects or tests is one of the essential qualities of a material engineer. It will help the team to complete the projects more efficiently and effectively. 

The Process to Become a Materials Engineer

• Find the major of your dream

The material engineering degree program offers many specialization fields ranging from designing and manufacturing biomaterial, metals, and electronic & energy materials to polymeric, optical, microtechnology, and nanotechnology. So, before you decide to pursue a degree, make sure that what your true passion lies in; that way, you will be able to pay proper attention to your curriculum and even enjoy every workday during your professional years.

Degree Programs for Materials Engineers

• Get Internship

Like other engineering disciplines, internships are very significant in material engineering. Not only the internship programs will give you on-hand experience with the job, but they will also give you the proper knowledge to handle different tools and technologies to perform work more efficiently in your specialization field. As the profession is based on using different kinds of tools, your experience may be vital to land on that dream job that will take your career to further heights. 

• Get Certified

If you have plans to apply for employment opportunities on an international level, you might have to get licensed to work as a professional in the field. The license requirement may differ according to countries or states; the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying(NCEES) oversees the license requirements and tests, so check these programs and requirements to ensure you are qualified to work as a professional after completing your degree.

• Pursue Higher Degrees

Although this might not be a mandatory requirement for material engineering, a higher education degree might come in handy if your specialization field is related to research, teaching, analysis, or consultant roles. The graduate or postgraduate degrees will solidify your job prospects and aid you in getting promoted or becoming eligible for other higher-level welfare in your field. 

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Salary of  Materials Engineer

The average base salary of material engineers in the USA is estimated at around $79,252/year in the total annual average payout of $59k - $116k. As an entry-level material engineer with less than a year of experience in the field, you can make an aggregate sum of $68,136/year, including bonus and profit-sharing. 

Here are some of the payout margins for material engineers on a global scale. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Becoming a Mechanical Engineer

Advantages

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• You will spend most of your time doing what you love. 
• Diverse and wide range of specialization fields.
• Creative field, and high regard for relevant logical ideas.
• Supportive working environment.
• High employability rate and a stable profession.
• Continuous learning and growing opportunities.
• High-tech work settings.
• Opportunity to immortalize your name with distinctive contributions.
• Great field for people who love working indoors. 

Disadvantages

• Long working hours.
• Not possible to master everything due to continuous learning and discovery in material studies.
• Not a well-known discipline like other engineering disciplines.
• Hard to start your venture related to the field.
• The demanding profession might have to make immediate schedules and sacrifice holidays.

Career as a Materials Engineer

Material engineers have a rewarding and fulfilling career path; after your degree in material engineering, you can pursue your career in various disciplines like nuclear, mechanical, electrics, electronics, and even chemical and nuclear. 

With the surge of 8% demand for material engineers that will open 1,800 positions every year till 2030, material engineering is among the highest-demanded profession in the world.

Here are some of the sectors and job titles you can apply for after your degree in material engineering:

Sectors:

• Manufacturing 
• Metal and Materials
• Oil and Gas
• Automotive
• Medicine
• Military
• Aerospace
• Nuclear

Job Titles:

• Material Engineer
• Metallurgist 
• Product Development engineers
• Research and Development Engineers
• Process Engineer
• Material Scientist
• Manufacturing Engineer
• Quality Engineer
• Geotechnical Engineer
• Assistant Material Engineer
• Material Chemist Engineer
• Failure Analysis Engineer
• Biomedical Engineer
• CAD Engineers
• Test Engineer
• Data Analyst
• Material Handler
• Laboratory technician 
• Quality Manager
• Technical Sales Engineer
• Lecturer/Professor
• Material Consultant 

FAQ Related to ‘How to Become Materials Engineer’?

• What qualification do you need to become a Material Engineer? 

To qualify as a material engineer, you will need an undergraduate degree in chemical, biochemical, process engineering, or other related fields. Higher degrees in the field, like graduate or postgraduate programs, will help you build your career prospects.

• Is Material Engineering a good career choice?

With the employment demand growing up to 8% by the 2030 term, above-average growth compared to other occupations, the field will see an aggregate number of 1,800 jobs opening yearly. So, yes, material engineering is one of the top career choices in the engineering field.

• Is Material Engineering Hard?

With rigid course materials including microtechnology, nanotechnology, material sciences, electronics, industrial manufacturing, physics & chemistry, including other engineering applications, material engineering is one of the most demanding engineering discipline programs. 

• Where do Material Engineers work?

Material engineering is an indoor profession, so most of the time, material engineers will be working inside an office where they can easily access the laboratories, design equipment, computer, and other development tools necessary.