Also called: Metallography Technician, Materials Lab Technician
Cuts, polishes and etches metal samples to reveal their hidden crystal structure under a microscope.
You saw a slice from a turbine part, mount it in plastic, and polish it to a mirror finish. A drop of acid reveals the grain structure, and you photograph it under the microscope so the engineer can see if the heat treatment worked.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate in materials technology or on-the-job training.
Ways in: 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Materials Technology.
Growing about average.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI image analysis reads microstructures automatically; cutting, polishing and preparing samples stays hands-on.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology lab, Art or photography, Algebra.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4099.
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.