Materials Engineers
Architecture and Engineering Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2131.00
Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.29–0.30· 2 ISCO-08 groups
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group
- ISCO-08 2146Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Related Professionals0.29
- ISCO-08 2149Engineering Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified0.30
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only21 rated tasks · 17 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (81.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Teach in colleges and universities.17-2131.00 | 0.0015100.0 |
| Not observed on any surface — 19 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states. | |
Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions. | —0 |
Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration. | —0 |
Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists. | —0 |
Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures. | —0 |
Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives. | —0 |
Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality. | —0 |
Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports. | —0 |
Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace. | —0 |
Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives as necessary. | —0 |
Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection based on design objectives, such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost. | —0 |
Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments. | —0 |
Guide technical staff engaged in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices. | —0 |
Plan and implement laboratory operations for the purpose of developing material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards. | —0 |
Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials. | —0 |
Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations. | —0 |
Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components with computers. | —0 |
Design processing plants and equipment. | —0 |
Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees. | —0 |
Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications. | —0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.O*NET Task ID 9007 | 1.0 |
Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.O*NET Task ID 9018 | 1.0 |
Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers.O*NET Task ID 9019 | 1.0 |
Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.O*NET Task ID 9001 | 0.5 |
Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.O*NET Task ID 9002 | 0.5 |
Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.O*NET Task ID 9003 | 0.5 |
Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.O*NET Task ID 9004 | 0.5 |
Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.O*NET Task ID 9005 | 0.5 |
Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.O*NET Task ID 9006 | 0.5 |
Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.O*NET Task ID 9008 | 0.5 |
Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives, as necessary.O*NET Task ID 9009 | 0.5 |
Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.O*NET Task ID 9010 | 0.5 |
Design processing plants and equipment.O*NET Task ID 9011 | 0.5 |
Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.O*NET Task ID 9013 | 0.5 |
Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.O*NET Task ID 9014 | 0.5 |
Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.O*NET Task ID 9015 | 0.5 |
Present technical information at conferences.O*NET Task ID 21167 | 0.5 |
Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.O*NET Task ID 9012 | 0.0 |
Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.O*NET Task ID 9016 | 0.0 |
Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.O*NET Task ID 9017 | 0.0 |
Teach in colleges and universities.O*NET Task ID 9020 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (21)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions. | Core |
| Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration. | Core |
| Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists. | Core |
| Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures. | Core |
| Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives. | Core |
| Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality. | Core |
| Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports. | Core |
| Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace. | Core |
| Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives, as necessary. | Core |
| Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost. | Core |
| Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices. | Core |
| Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards. | Core |
| Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials. | Core |
| Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees. | Core |
| Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations. | Core |
| Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers. | Core |
| Design processing plants and equipment. | Supplemental |
| Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments. | Supplemental |
| Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications. | Supplemental |
| Teach in colleges and universities. | Supplemental |
| Present technical information at conferences. | Supplemental |
0.00/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
None of this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks is classified as a physical task.
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 24K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 26K
- Change (2025–35)
- +7.5%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $112,860
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23311 | 금속공학 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23312 | 요업‧세라믹공학 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23313 | 시멘트공학 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23319 | 그 외 금속‧재료공학 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23921 | 섬유 소재 개발 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23922 | 섬유 공정 개발 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23923 | 염색 개발 공학 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 23424 | 반도체소재 기술자 및 연구원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2146Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Related Professionals
- ISCO-08 2149Engineering Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- material stress analystESCO 3115.1.9This occupation is broader
Material stress analysts plan and use software to perform structural analyses including static, stability and fatigue analyses on a variety of machines. They develop analysis of primary and secondary structures. They prepare technical reports to document their analysis results, participate in design reviews and recommend process improvements. They also assist in the development of structural test plans.
- metallurgistESCO 2146.5This occupation is broader
Metallurgists specialise in the extraction and processing of metals such as iron, steel, zinc, copper and aluminium. They work to mold or combine both pure and mixed metals (alloys) into new shapes and properties. Metallurgists handle the extraction of metal ores and develop their use in metal processing techniques. They may work in both manufacturing or do scientific research about the performance of metals.
- paper engineerESCO 2145.1.8This occupation is broader
Paper engineers ensure an optimal production process in the manufacture of paper and related products. They select primary and secondary raw materials and check their quality. In addition, they optimize machinery and equipment usage as well as the chemical additives for paper making.
- surface engineerESCO 2141.3.3This occupation is broader
Surface engineers research and develop technologies for manufacturing processes that assist in altering the properties of the surface of bulk material, such as metal, in order to reduce degradation by corrosion or wear. They explore and design how to protect surfaces of (metal) workpieces and products utilising sustainable materials and testing with a minimum of waste.
- synthetic materials engineerESCO 2145.2This occupation is broader
Synthetic materials engineers develop new synthetic materials processes or improve existing ones. They design and construct installations and machines for the production of synthetic materials and examine samples of raw materials in order to ensure quality.
- textile, leather and footwear researcherESCO 2149.15This occupation is broader
Textile, leather and footwear researchers combine knowledge of material sciences, chemistry, physics, process technologies, management, and engineering to contribute to future innovations within the fields of textile, wearing apparel, leather, and footwear. They collaborate in multidisciplinary projects in order to combine findings from a diverse array of science fields for product development.
- welding engineerESCO 2144.1.22This occupation is broader
Welding engineers research and develop optimal effective welding techniques and design the corresponding, equally efficient equipment to aid in the welding process. They also conduct quality control and evaluate inspection procedures for welding activities. Welding engineers have advanced knowledge and critical understanding of welding technology application. They are able to manage high complex technical and professional activities or projects related to welding applications, while also taking responsibility for the decision making process.
- materials engineerESCO 2149.9Overlapping, not the same
Materials engineers research and design new or improved materials for a diverse number of applications. They analyse the composition of materials, conduct experiments, and develop new materials for industry-specific use that can range from rubber, to textiles, glass, metals, and chemicals. They advise companies in damage assessments, quality assurance of materials, and recycling of materials.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H2514 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure en génie des matériaux | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| H1409 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure soudage | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2509 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure de fonderie ou de forge | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H1206 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure R&D en industrie | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2439 | Ingenieros no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | This occupation is narrower |
| 2436 | Ingenieros de minas, metalúrgicos y afines | Related, not a match |
| 2466 | Ingenieros técnicos de minas, metalúrgicos y afines | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 41424 | Berufe in der Werkstofftechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
| 22104 | Berufe in der Kunststoff- und Kautschukherstellung (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 24124 | Berufe in der Metallumformung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 24304 | Berufe in der Metalloberflächenbehandlung (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 24424 | Berufe in der Schweiß- und Verbindungstechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 28104 | Berufe in der Textiltechnik (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 41434 | Berufe in der Baustoffprüfung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 24114 | Berufe in der Hüttentechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 22184 | Berufe in der Kunststoff- und Kautschukherstellung und -verarbeitung (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 24134 | Berufe in der industriellen Gießerei - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 28123 | Berufe in der Textilherstellung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 28224 | Berufe in der Bekleidungs-, Hut- und Mützenherstellung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 28314 | Berufe in der Lederherstellung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 41433 | Berufe in der Baustoffprüfung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 076 | 金属技術者（開発） | Overlapping, not the same |
| 086 | 金属技術者（開発を除く） | Overlapping, not the same |
| 077 | 化学技術者（開発） | Related, not a match |
| 079 | その他の製造技術者（開発） | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources