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Non-Destructive Testing Specialist

Engineering

Test the safety of structures, vehicles, or vessels using x-ray, ultrasound, fiber optic or related equipment.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Mechanical EngineeringScience

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Interpret or evaluate test results in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, or procedures.
  2. 2Interpret the results of all methods of non-destructive testing (NDT), such as acoustic emission, electromagnetic, leak, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, neutron radiographic, radiographic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, vibration analysis, and visual testing.
  3. 3Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques.
  4. 4Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact.
  5. 5Prepare reports on non-destructive testing results.
  6. 6Select, calibrate, or operate equipment used in the non-destructive testing of products or materials.
  7. 7Visually examine materials, structures, or components for signs of corrosion, metal fatigue, cracks, or other flaws, using tools and equipment such as endoscopes, closed-circuit television systems, and fiber optics.
  8. 8Examine structures or vehicles such as aircraft, trains, nuclear reactors, bridges, dams, and pipelines, using non-destructive testing techniques.
  9. 9Document non-destructive testing methods, processes, or results.
  10. 10Produce images of objects on film, using radiographic techniques.
  11. 11Supervise or direct the work of non-destructive testing trainees or staff.
  12. 12Evaluate material properties, using radio astronomy, voltage and amperage measurement, or rheometric flow measurement.
  13. 13Conduct liquid penetrant tests to locate surface cracks by coating objects with fluorescent dyes, cleaning excess penetrant, and applying developer.
  14. 14Map the presence of imperfections within objects, using sonic measurements.
  15. 15Develop or use new non-destructive testing methods, such as acoustic emission testing, leak testing, and thermal or infrared testing.
  16. 16Identify defects in concrete or other building materials, using thermal or infrared testing.

Also known as

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

  • CWI
  • Test Tech
  • NDT Engineer
  • NDT Inspector
  • NDT Scientist
  • Corrosion Tech
  • NDE Specialist
  • NDE Technician
  • NDI Technician
  • NDT Specialist

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. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

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).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — 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 Technology82%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Mathematics79%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language78%

    English

  • Physics76%

    Physics

  • Education and Training74%
  • Computers and Electronics73%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

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
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedOften
  • Outdoors, in all weatherOften
  • Noisy environmentOften
  • Time walking or movingA little

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Operate drones for remote inspection of large or hard-to-reach structures, such as wind turbines, bridges, or tall buildings.

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.

0%

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.

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

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: Non-Destructive Testing Specialists

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