Also called: Fractography Engineer, Materials Failure Investigator
Investigates why parts broke, from a cracked airplane bolt to an exploding phone battery.
A broken bike crank arrives in an evidence bag. You photograph it, look at the fracture surface under an electron microscope and spot 'beach marks' showing a fatigue crack grew slowly for months. Your report decides who's responsible.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in materials or mechanical engineering; master's common.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Materials Science & Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps match fracture patterns and sort data; detective work with microscopes and real broken parts stays human.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Physics, Shop class, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2131.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.