Career Explorer Engineering and architecture
Grows with AI
Materials engineers
Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 61% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by +7.5% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on creative vision and ethical judgement.
AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.
- Median pay (2025)
- $112,860
- Job growth to 2035
- +7.5%
- Openings a year
- 1,300
- People doing it (2025)
- 23,800
- Usual route in
- Bachelor's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Plan work activities
- Determine operational methods or procedures
- Analyze performance of systems or equipment
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assess compliance with environmental standards or regulations
- Manage control systems or activities
- Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance
What the work looks like
- Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
- Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
- Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
- Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.
- Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as additional high tech and environmentally friendly materials and processes will be needed to meet the needs of the aerospace industry, e.g. lighter, stronger materials to improve efficiency.
- More of these jobs, as additional high tech and environmentally friendly materials and processes will be needed to meet production needs.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Agricultural engineersGrows with AI, Index 66, +6.9%
- Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and techniciansGrows with AI, Index 77, +11.9%
- Agricultural techniciansGrows with AI, Index 66, +5.4%
- Museum technicians and conservatorsHuman edge, growing, Index 71, +3.6%
Also known as: Materials Research Engineer, Metallurgist, Process Engineer, Textile Engineer, Automotive Sheet Metal Engineer, Ceramic Engineer, Extrusion Engineer, Materials Development Engineer.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.