Materials Engineer
Role lens
Materials engineers research and design new or improved materials for a diverse number of applications. They analyse the composition of materials, conduct experiments, and develop new materials for industry-specific use that can range from rubber, to textiles, glass, metals, and chemicals. They advise companies in damage assessments, quality assurance of materials, and recycling of materials.
Materials engineers are vital in a wide range of industries, working to create materials with specific properties for diverse applications. Your days might involve analyzing material composition, designing new formulations, conducting rigorous testing, and advising companies on material performance, quality, and responsible recycling practices. This role requires a blend of scientific understanding, problem-solving skills, and a commitment to innovation.
- • Researching and developing new materials, such as metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites.
- • Analyzing material properties and performance through experimentation and testing.
- • Advising companies on material selection, damage assessment, and quality assurance.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Science and engineering professionals — 274 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland and 4 more.
Longest-running shortage: Ireland, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $117,790 2025-05 | +4.9% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2025 * | — | +35.5% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £51,950 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for materials engineer
The outlook for materials engineer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could materials engineer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- apply health and safety standards
- assess environmental impact
- create solutions to problems
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- forecast organisational risks
- analyse production processes for improvement
- test materials
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Construction
A typical day as a materials engineer
09 09:00 · Morning assess environmental impact
10 10:30 · Mid-morning develop advanced materials
12 12:00 · Midday adjust engineering designs
14 14:00 · Afternoon analyse production processes for improvement
15 15:30 · Late afternoon apply health and safety standards
17 17:00 · Wrap-up approve engineering design
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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test materials
Test the composition, characteristics, and use of materials in order to create new products and applications. Test them under normal and extraordinary conditions.
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develop advanced materials
Select materials for further exploration and conduct material synthesis experiments to support the development of advanced materials.
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test chemical samples
Perform the testing procedures on the already prepared chemical samples, by using the necessary equipment and materials. Chemical sample testing involves operations such as pipetting or diluting schemes.
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create solutions to problems
Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
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forecast organisational risks
Analyse the operations and actions of a company in order to assess their repercussions, possible risks for the company, and to develop suitable strategies to address these.
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adjust engineering designs
Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
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perform scientific research
Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
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perform chemical experiments
Perform chemical experiments with the aim of testing various products and substances in order to draw conclusions in terms of product viability and replicability.
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develop material testing procedures
Develop testing protocols in collaboration with engineers and scientists to enable a variety of analyses such as environmental, chemical, physical, thermal, structural, resistance or surface analyses on a wide range of materials such as metals, ceramics or plastics.
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integrate new products in manufacturing
Assist with the integration of new systems, products, methods, and components in the production line. Ensure that production workers are properly trained and follow the new requirements.
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work with chemicals
Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.
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apply health and safety standards
Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.
advanced materials
Innovative materials with unique or enhanced properties relative to conventional materials. Advanced materials are developed using specialised processing and synthesis technologies that provide a distinctive advantage in physical or functional performance.
engineering processes
The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
integrated design
Approach to design which includes several related disciplines, with the aim to design and build according to the Near Zero Energy Building principles. The interplay between all aspects of building design, building use and outdoor climate.
sustainable building materials
The types of building material which minimize the negative impact of the building on the external environment, throughout their whole life cycle.
- analytical chemistry
- chemistry
- composite materials
- engineering principles
- manufacturing processes
- material mechanics
- materials engineering
- thermoplastic materials
Path to become a materials engineer
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
1,976 programmes in 30 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 71 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Master of Science in Advanced Engineering Materials
University of Limerick · Ireland
Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Advanced Polymer Materials
Technological University of the Shannon · Ireland
Chemical Engineering
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen · the Netherlands
Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering in Applied Materials
South East Technological University · Ireland
Certificate in Advanced Materials
South East Technological University · Ireland
These are 6 of 2,047.
Sources
- 1. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 2. Bron: DUO open onderwijsdata
- 3. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does materials engineer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of industries employ materials engineers?
Does this role require a lot of lab work?
What are the key skills needed to succeed as a materials engineer?
Is there a shortage of Materials Engineer in Europe?
How much does Materials Engineer pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data