Nanoengineer
Snapshot
Nanoengineers combine the scientific knowledge of atomic and molecular particles with engineering principles for applications in a varied array of fields. They apply findings in chemistry, biology, and materials engineering, etc. They use technological knowledge for the improvement of existing applications or the creation of micro objects.
Nanoengineers are problem-solvers who apply principles from chemistry, biology, and materials science to manipulate matter at the nanoscale – that's incredibly small, billionths of a meter! Your days could involve designing and testing new materials, developing advanced sensors, or improving existing technologies by incorporating nanoscale components. You'll often work in research and development environments, utilizing sophisticated equipment and software to analyze and refine your creations.
- • Designing and fabricating nanoscale devices and materials.
- • Conducting research to explore new applications of nanotechnology.
- • Analyzing data and testing prototypes to ensure performance and reliability.
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 | $122,930 2025-05 | +2.1% 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
Do you guide students, clients or employees? Use this occupation data in your organisation.
Future Outlook for nanoengineer
The outlook for nanoengineer 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 nanoengineer 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
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- forecast organisational risks
- perform scientific research
- examine engineering principles
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
Advanced Manufacturing
A typical day as a nanoengineer
09 09:00 · Morning assess environmental impact
10 10:30 · Mid-morning forecast organisational risks
12 12:00 · Midday adjust engineering designs
14 14:00 · Afternoon apply health and safety standards
15 15:30 · Late afternoon approve engineering design
17 17:00 · Wrap-up examine engineering principles
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.
-
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.
-
adjust engineering designs
Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
-
perform scientific research
Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
-
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.
-
examine engineering principles
Analyse the principles that need to be considered for engineering designs and projects such as functionality, replicability, costs and other principles.
-
work with chemicals
Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.
-
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.
-
apply health and safety standards
Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.
-
assess environmental impact
Monitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation's environmental risks while taking costs into account.
-
approve engineering design
Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.
computational chemistry
The branch of chemistry that aims at addressing complex chemical problems through computer simulations.
engineering processes
The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
nanomaterials
The characteristics of engineered nanoparticles that conform to a specific set of properties such as being manufactured at nanoscale, being composed of nano-objects as defined by ISO. Some of the well known nanomaterials could be carbon nanotubes,quantum dots gold or titanium dioxide.
quantum technology
The technology that works through principles of quantum mechanics such as quantum entanglement and quantum superposition.
spectroscopy
The scientific field that focuses on investigating and measuring spectra that are produced through electromagnetic radiation either in the form of materials interaction with radiations or their emission.
- analytical chemistry
- biology
- chemistry
- computer simulation
- engineering principles
- materials engineering
- nanotechnology
Path to become a nanoengineer
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
2,789 programmes in 31 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 112 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Nanoscience
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen · the Netherlands
Master of Industrial Research (Chemistry)
The University of Melbourne (UniMelb) · Australia
Science with Nanotechnology
Technological University Dublin · Ireland
These are 6 of 2,901.
Sources
- 1. Bron: DUO open onderwijsdata
- 2. Source: Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Education), CRICOS, data.gov.au, CC BY 2.5 AU. Data as at 01/09/2026. Adapted by NexPath.
- 3. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov), CC BY. Data as at 10/06/2026. Adapted by NexPath.
- 4. Source: Malta Qualifications Registry, Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (qualifications.mfhea.gov.mt).
- 5. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does nanoengineer 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 nanoengineers?
What skills are most important for a nanoengineer?
Is a graduate degree typically required to become a nanoengineer?
Is there a shortage of Nanoengineer in Europe?
How much does Nanoengineer pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data