Nanosystems Engineers
Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.
Also known as: Durability Engineer, Nanoelectronics Engineer, Nanofabrication Engineer, Nanofabrication Research Engineer, Nanoindentation Applications Engineer, Nanomaterials Research Scientist, Nanomaterials Synthesis Research Scientist, Nanosystems Engineer, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)
What You'd Do
- Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.
- Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.
- Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.
- Identify new applications for existing nanotechnologies.
- Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.
- Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy.
- Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
- Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production.
- Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems.
- Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy.
- Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems.
- Coordinate or supervise the work of suppliers or vendors in the designing, building, or testing of nanosystem devices, such as lenses or probes.
- Design or engineer nanomaterials, nanodevices, nano-enabled products, or nanosystems, using three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.
- Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography.
- Apply nanotechnology to improve the performance or reduce the environmental impact of energy products, such as fuel cells or solar cells.
- Design nano-enabled products with reduced toxicity, increased durability, or improved energy efficiency.
- Prepare nanotechnology-related invention disclosures or patent applications.
- Design nano-based manufacturing processes to minimize water, chemical, or energy use, as well as to reduce waste production.
- Design nanoparticle catalysts to detect or remove chemical or other pollutants from water, soil, or air.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.