Skip to content

Engineering design

Materials engineer

Materials engineers study how materials behave under different conditions and discover ways to improve their performance or put them to new uses.

Annual Salary

£27,000 to £52,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

39 to 42 a week

You could work: evenings; occasionally

2.4%
Future employment

There will be 2.4% more Materials engineer jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a materials engineer, you could:

  • research new ways to combine materials
  • analyse test data, using computer modelling software
  • develop prototypes for new products
  • design manufacturing processes that use new materials
  • investigate the reasons behind component or structural failures
  • supervise a team of technicians

Working environment

You could work at a manufacturing plant, in a laboratory or in an office.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
University

You'll normally need a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject, like:

  • materials engineering
  • materials science or technology
  • applied chemistry
  • applied physics

You could also take a degree course specialising in one group of materials or their commercial use, for example:

  • metallurgy
  • biomaterials
  • polymer science
  • sports engineering

If you have a related degree, for example, structural engineering, you may be able to take a postgraduate course in materials science and engineering.

You can search for materials science and engineering courses, accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, on the Engineering Council website.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and a science for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
Apprenticeship

You could apply for a degree apprenticeship to begin your materials engineering career. Examples include:

  • Materials Science Technologist Level 6
  • Space Systems Engineer Level 6
  • Materials Process Engineer Level 7

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

More information

Career tips

Choosing to do an accredited course or a degree apprenticeship can help towards registration for incorporated or chartered engineer status with a professional body. This is a way to demonstrate your professional competence and expertise as your career progresses.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in materials science and engineering from Discover Materials and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

Showing jobs in:
View all vacancies in this region

With experience, you could progress to lead engineer or move into project management. You could also specialise in particular materials or industries, work in research and development, or become a consultant.

Materials engineer designs, tests and produces novel materials that are built to survive the harsh environment of space.  In the future we will be recycling old satellites and space platforms, as well make new materials in space from mining asteroids and the moon. Materials Engineers will support the development of processes that will enable these new materials and ways of working space happen. 

Examples of post-16 courses you could study at a local school or college

  • Maths, Sciences A-levels
  • Level 2/3 Aircraft Maintenance Engineering 
  • Engineering and Manufacturing T-Level 

Find a local provider

Examples of post-18 courses you could study at a local provider

  • BEng Materials Science and Engineering at Swansea University
  • Meng Aeronautics and Astronautics/Materials and Structures at Southampton University

Search for a degree course

Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers

  • Materials Science Technologist Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Space Systems Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Materials Process Engineer Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship

Search for apprenticeship vacancies

Employers in the South West 

  • Thales Alenia Space
  • Frazer Nash Consulting
  • National Composites Centre 
  • Rolls Royce
  • GKN
  • GE Aviation
  • Moog
  • Jacobs
  • Airbus
  • Universities of Bristol, Bath and West of England (UWE)
  • SpaceForge
  • BAE Systems
  • Ministry of Defence

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of engineering science and technology
  • maths knowledge
  • knowledge of physics
  • knowledge of chemistry including the safe use and disposal of chemicals
  • analytical thinking skills
  • knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
My top 5 skills
Please sign in to compare your skills to this job. Sign in

To save or view your choices and results you must sign in or register (takes 1 minute).

Sign in Register