Skills
Materials Engineer Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in materials engineers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do materials engineers need?
Materials Engineers need technical skills such as materials science, mechanical testing, and microscopy, plus people skills like curiosity and problem-solving. They also use tools such as SEM and Tensile testers.
Technical (hard) skills
- Materials science
- Mechanical testing
- Microscopy
- Failure analysis
- Metallurgy
- Polymer science
People (soft) skills
- Curiosity
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Attention to detail
Tools, equipment and technology
- SEM
- Tensile testers
- Hardness testers
- XRD
- DSC
- Statistical software
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how materials engineers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Materials science” and “Mechanical testing.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “curiosity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as PE license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our materials engineer glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Materials Engineer training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.