Also called: Lab Technician, Materials Testing Technician
Investigates broken or failed parts in the lab to figure out exactly why they failed.
A bolt snapped on a piece of equipment, and you get the pieces. You slice it, polish it and look at the fracture under a microscope to tell whether it was overloaded, fatigued or made from bad steel. Your report helps engineers make sure it never happens again.
Estimated.
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 degree in materials, engineering technology or lab science.
Ways in: 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Materials Technology, Engineering Technology, Chemistry.
Growing about average. No separate BLS projection.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI helps with image analysis, but cutting, polishing and examining broken parts in the lab stays hands-on.
Classes: Chemistry, Physics, Algebra II.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3029.
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.