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Nanosystems Engineers

$111,970 Median Wage (2023)

10,100 Projected job openings (2023-2033)

5.00% Projected growth (2023-2033)

Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Doctoral Degree

Related Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Detailed Work Activities

Prepare proposal documents.
Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
Operate precision equipment to control microscopic or nanoscopic processes.
Identify new applications for existing technologies.
Advise customers on the use of products or services.
Measure physical or chemical properties of materials or objects.
Prepare operational reports.
Explain engineering drawings, specifications, or other technical information.
Prepare contracts, disclosures, or applications.
Develop technical methods or processes.
Provide technical guidance to other personnel.
Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
Devise research or testing protocols.
Coordinate activities with suppliers, contractors, clients, or other departments.
Design materials for industrial or commercial applications.
Design micro- or nano-scale materials, devices, or systems.
Create physical models or prototypes.
Research engineering applications of emerging technologies.
Design alternative energy systems.
Develop operational methods or processes that use green materials or emphasize sustainability.
Research engineering aspects of biological or chemical processes.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems.
Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.
Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography.
Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.
Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems.
Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.
Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.
Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy.
Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production.
Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.
Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy.
Apply nanotechnology to improve the performance or reduce the environmental impact of energy products, such as fuel cells or solar cells.
Identify new applications for existing nanotechnologies.
Design or engineer nanomaterials, nanodevices, nano-enabled products, or nanosystems, using three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) software.
Design nano-enabled products with reduced toxicity, increased durability, or improved energy efficiency.
Coordinate or supervise the work of suppliers or vendors in the designing, building, or testing of nanosystem devices, such as lenses or probes.
Design nano-based manufacturing processes to minimize water, chemical, or energy use, as well as to reduce waste production.
Design nanosystems with components such as nanocatalysts or nanofiltration devices to clean specific pollutants from hazardous waste sites.
Prepare nanotechnology-related invention disclosures or patent applications.
Reengineer nanomaterials to improve biodegradability.
Integrate nanotechnology with antimicrobial properties into products, such as household or medical appliances, to reduce the development of bacteria or other microbes.
Develop catalysis or other green chemistry methods to synthesize nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, nanocrystals, nanorods, or nanowires.
Design nanoparticle catalysts to detect or remove chemical or other pollutants from water, soil, or air.
Develop green building nanocoatings, such as self-cleaning, anti-stain, depolluting, anti-fogging, anti-icing, antimicrobial, moisture-resistant, or ultraviolet protectant coatings.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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