Annual Salary
£27,000 to £55,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Nanotechnologists manipulate molecules and atoms to design and create new materials and devices.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; occasionally
There will be
2.4% more Nanotechnologist jobs in 2027.
As a nanotechnologist, you could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work in a laboratory.
You can get into this job through:
You'll usually need a degree or a postgraduate master's qualification in nanotechnology, or a related course which includes nanotechnology.
Relevant courses include:
Some employers may expect you to have, or be working towards, a PhD. This is especially so in the fields of medicine and healthcare nanotechnology.
Employers value work experience. It may help to study for a degree that includes research experience in the industry you want to work in. You could look for work placements with nanotechnology companies.
You'll usually need:
It may be possible to start as a nanotechnology research assistant or graduate industrial scientist after leaving university. You would usually need to study part time for a PhD while you work.
UK Research and Innovation and industrial companies sometimes offer studentships. This would give you the opportunity to do a PhD while getting practical research experience.
Research into nanotechnology applications takes place in many different sectors, like:aerospace and biotechnology; healthcare and manufacturing; engineering, materials science and computing
Examples include, miniature computer chips, targeted drug delivery systems and extra strong materials.
You can find out more about careers in nanotechnology through Nanowerk and the Institute of Physics.
With experience, you could lead or manage a team of scientists in a research and development department of a commercial or public organisation.
You could also open up opportunities for career development by gaining Chartered Scientist status.
A further option is to move into higher education and combine your research interests with academic teaching.
You'll need: