Also called: M&P Engineer, Aerospace Materials Engineer
Chooses the metals, plastics, adhesives, and coatings used in aircraft and rockets and figures out how to process them safely.
You approve a new adhesive for bonding panels, run a failure investigation on a corroded part under an electron microscope, and write the spec suppliers must follow.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in materials science, chemical, or mechanical engineering; master's common.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps pick materials and predict properties; lab testing and qualifying processes stay hands-on.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Physics, Shop class, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2131.
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