Roles

• Materials engineers research, develop, process and test materials used in products, from computer chips to aircraft wings, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Metallurgical engineers specialize in certain metals, such as steel. There are three main branches of metallurgical engineering, according to the Princeton Review: physical metallurgy, which deals with solving problems; extractive metallurgy, which involves extracting metals from ore; and mineral processing, which involves gathering minerals from the earth's crust.
  
  

Conditions

• All types of engineers work out of offices, labs or industrial plants, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some may regularly travel domestically or internationally. Engineers typically work a 40-hour week. During deadlines, they may spend longer hours.
  
  

Education and Training

• A bachelor's degree is usually required, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Metallurgists may acquire a general degree in engineering, or sometimes in a related area like natural sciences or mathematics. A handful of colleges and universities offer a degree in metallurgical engineering, according to the Princeton Review. Most programs offer the opportunity to participate in an internship where students spend a semester or more gaining experience in a metallurgical company.
  
  

Earnings

• Materials engineers earned a national mean hourly wage of $41.18 ($85,660 annually) as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The industries employing the highest number of materials engineers were aerospace product and parts manufacturing, with a mean annual wage of $91,600; architectural, engineering and related services, $82,550; semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing, $87,580; navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing, $87,930; and the Federal Executive Branch, $107,780.
  
  

Outlook

• Employment for materials engineers is expected to increase at a rate of nine percent through 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The reason for growth is due to the need for developing materials in nanotechnology and biotechnology research. Manufacturing firms will contract materials engineering needs, so growth will exist in the industry of professional, scientific and technical services.