How to Become a Materials Engineer

Materials engineering is the backbone of modern fabrication and production techniques. Without the right materials, many products simply could not exist. Meanwhile, materials R&D is constantly pushing forward the boundaries of what we can manufacture.

So with all that said, is materials engineering a good career? How do you become a materials engineer? And will the role still be in demand five years from now?

What Does a Materials Engineer Do?

Combining pure science and practical engineering, the job of a materials engineer is to develop, test, and manufacture materials. That could be anything from a new form of microfiber cotton to specialist alloys for automotive frames. Some materials engineers even work with rare types of fungus, studying and utilising their unique properties to create better products.

Education Requirements

Depending on your background, materials engineering can be a hard career to get into, but if you’re someone who thrives in a STEM environment, then don’t let that stop you.

By far the biggest hurdle to entering the field is getting your degree. While you won’t be required to do a master’s, you will need a bachelor’s in a relevant science. That could be applied physics or chemistry, metallurgy, or – if you want to take the direct route – materials engineering. Where you might struggle to find work is with a more general science degree, as employers are really looking to see that you’ve got practical, hands-on experience. 

Is Materials Engineering a Good Major

So what are the pros and cons of taking the direct route?

Well, if you know from the start that materials engineering is a job you want to go into, then taking it as your major will certainly be appealing to employers. That said, there is a trade-off if you’re looking to keep other doors open.

Choosing materials engineering as your major gives you a lot of depth. You’ll study crystallography, polymer processing, and the thermodynamics of various specific materials. What you won’t gain is the same kind of breadth you’d get from studying applied chemistry or physics.

Put simply, this is a choice that gives you very little room to change your mind. If you spend a few years in the field and find it’s not for you, then you’ll have a much harder time changing careers. Being a specialist makes you more appealing in your expert area, but it also makes you less versatile.

The Demand For Materials Engineers

There’s a lot of demand for materials engineering right now, and that’s a trend that looks set to continue for the foreseeable future. Several major growth industries, both internationally and in the US, are investing heavily at the moment to develop new, groundbreaking technologies.

For example, the push for electric vehicles has already created thousands of jobs for materials engineers. The popularity of electric vehicles has skyrocketed in the last few years – particularly in Europe – and the technology is now in a major boom cycle.

Many manufacturers are betting on a future where EVs make up the majority, if not the whole of the market, and for that to happen, we need batteries that are cheaper to make and last for more miles. Having clearly passed the test with consumers, companies are now in a technological race to build the best product.

And EVs are just one of several battery-powered industries that are pouring money into the field of materials engineering right now. From electric grids to data centres, bigger, better batteries are an absolute priority for the current future of tech.

Not that it’s all about batteries. In the world of computing, the demand for silicon chips is through the roof, in large part driven by new AI data centres.

One of the biggest concerns in tech investment is that the chips on which AI data centres are run have a short shelf life. So not only do we need more silicon chips, but we need more durable, faster, and longer-lasting ones.

All told, there are few roles with more demand than materials engineering right now, and that’s not going to change any time soon. If you’re looking for a safe bet to build a career on, then this is the job for you.