Nanosystems Engineers in Advanced Materials
Nanosystems Engineers in Advanced Materials design and build extremely tiny structures—often just a few atoms wide—to create new materials, devices, and products with special powers, like self-cleaning coatings, ultra-strong composites, or more efficient solar cells. They use tools such as atomic force microscopes, three-dimensional CAD software, and nanofabrication equipment to model, test, and refine nanomaterials, then lead teams of technicians and suppliers to scale up safe, energy-efficient manufacturing processes. In this role, they also make strategic decisions about which nanotechnologies to develop, write patents and research proposals, and solve complex problems such as removing pollutants with nanoparticle filters or delivering medicine directly to specific cells in the body.
Did you know?
Most positions require a Master's or PhD in engineering, physics, materials science, or related fields due to the highly specialized nature of nanotechnology.
At a glance
Typical average pay
$112,700 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top skill
Reading Comprehension
Things to consider
Emerging Market Opportunities
Job opportunities are concentrated in high-tech industries like semiconductors, biotechnology, and advanced materials, with growth potential but limited geographic distribution.
Regulatory and Safety Compliance
Engineers must navigate complex federal regulations from agencies like FDA, EPA, and OSHA regarding nanomaterial safety and environmental impact.
Key responsibilities
Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.
Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.
Design nanosystems with components such as nanocatalysts or nanofiltration devices to clean specific pollutants from hazardous waste sites.
Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.
Design nano-based manufacturing processes to minimize water, chemical, or energy use, as well as to reduce waste production.