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Materials Engineer

Engineering

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.

ScienceMechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
  2. 2Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
  3. 3Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.
  4. 4Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
  5. 5Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
  6. 6Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
  7. 7Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.
  8. 8Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
  9. 9Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
  10. 10Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.
  11. 11Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.
  12. 12Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives, as necessary.
  13. 13Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.
  14. 14Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.
  15. 15Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.
  16. 16Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
  17. 17Teach in colleges and universities.
  18. 18Present technical information at conferences.
  19. 19Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers.
  20. 20Design processing plants and equipment.
  21. 21Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • SQE
  • Engineer
  • Metallurgist
  • Test Engineer
  • Metallographer
  • Design Engineer
  • Stress Engineer
  • Ceramic Engineer
  • Material Analyst
  • Plating Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Chemistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Engineering and Technology86%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Chemistry85%

    Chemistry

  • Physics84%

    Physics

  • Production and Processing82%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Mathematics82%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language77%

    English

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Time spent sittingMost of the time
  • Time spent standingA little
  • Time walking or movingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

15%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Mechanical Engineer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Materials Engineers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue