Science & ResearchISCO 2152
Microelectronics materials engineer
A microelectronics materials engineer is a person who develops the materials needed for microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems, and who oversees their manufacture and their use in finished devices.
Check yourself in a minute: microelectronics materials engineer
Rate 5 of the 47 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
test materials
perform laboratory tests
inspect semiconductor components
test microelectromechanical systems
join metals
About microelectronics materials engineer
They work with metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers and composite materials, bringing physics and chemistry knowledge into the design: how a material conducts, how much it expands when heated, how it reacts with the layer next to it. They conduct research into material structures and run chemical experiments, carry out analyses and investigate failure mechanisms, establishing why a layer cracked, a joint delaminated or a device stopped working after a run of thermal cycles. They test microelectromechanical systems and supervise research work in a team.
The engineer reads engineering sketches, and the choice of solution rests on electrical engineering and mathematics: a model, a calculation, an estimate of error. New and innovative technologies are followed closely, along with new materials for microelectronics that can be applied in devices and instruments.
The engineer also develops hazardous waste management strategies and applies environmental legislation to the plant and the laboratory. Materials knowledge is the foundation, and laboratory work is where a career in this field begins.
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (47)
data miningdata miningThe methods of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and databases used to extract content from a dataset.manufacturing processesmanufacturing processesThe steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.machine learningmachine learningThe principles, methods and algorithms of machine learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence. Common machine learning models such as supervised or unsupervised models, semi- supervised models and...electrical engineeringelectrical engineeringThe field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.emergent technologiesemergent technologiesThe recent trends, developments and innovations in modern technologies such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence and robotics.mathematicsmathematicsMathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to pr...microelectronicsmicroelectronicsMicroelectronics is a subdiscipline of electronics and relates the study, design, and manufacture of small electronic components, such as microchips.microsystem test proceduresmicrosystem test proceduresThe methods of testing the quality, accuracy, and performance of microsystems and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and their materials and components before, during, and after the building of the...artificial neural networksartificial neural networksA network of artificial neurons composed for solving artificial intelligence problems. These computing systems are inspired by the biological neural networks that constitute brains. Understanding of i...hazardous waste typeshazardous waste typesThe different types of waste which poses risks to the environment or public health and safety, such as radioactive waste, chemicals and solvents, electronics, and mercury-containing waste.characteristics of wastecharacteristics of wasteExpertise in the different types, the chemical formulas and other characteristics of solid, liquid and hazardous waste.physicsphysicsThe natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.environmental legislationenvironmental legislationThe environmental policies and legislation applicable in a certain domain.sensorssensorsSensors are transducers that can detect or sense characteristics in their environment. They detect changes in the apparatus or environment and provide a corresponding optical or electrical signal. Sen...types of metaltypes of metalQualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.environmental threatsenvironmental threatsThe threats for the environment which are related to biological, chemical, nuclear, radiological, and physical hazards.electronicselectronicsThe functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications.mechanical engineeringmechanical engineeringDiscipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.types of plastictypes of plasticTypes of plastic materials and their chemical composition, physical properties, possible issues and usage cases.microassemblymicroassemblyThe assembly of nano, micro or mesoscale systems and components with dimensions between 1 µm to 1 mm. Because of the need for precision on a microscale, micro assemblies require reliable visual alignm...precision measuring instrumentsprecision measuring instrumentsInstruments used for precision measuring or manufacture, such as micrometers, calipers, gauges, scales, and microscopes.nanomaterialsnanomaterialsThe characteristics of engineered nanoparticles that conform to a specific set of properties such as being manufactured at nanoscale, being composed of nano-objects as defined by ISO. Some of the well...chemistrychemistryThe composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk fa...principles of artificial intelligenceprinciples of artificial intelligenceThe artificial intelligence theories, applied principles, architectures and systems, such as intelligent agents, multi-agent systems, expert systems, rule-based systems, neural networks, ontologies an...semiconductorssemiconductorsSemiconductors are essential components of electronic circuits and contain properties of both insulators, such as glass, and conductors, such as copper. Most semiconductors are crystals made of silico...basic chemicalsbasic chemicalsThe production and characteristisc of organic basic chemicals such as ethanol, methanol, benzene and inorganic basic chemicals such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen.data modelsdata modelsThe techniques and existing systems used for structuring data elements and showing relationships between them, as well as methods for interpreting the data structures and relationships.test materialstest materialsTest the composition, characteristics, and use of materials in order to create new products and applications. Test them under normal and extraordinary conditions.perform laboratory testsperform laboratory testsCarry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.inspect semiconductor componentsinspect semiconductor componentsInspect the quality of used materials, check the purity and molecular orientation of the semiconductor crystals, and test the wafers for surface defects using electronic testing equipment, microscopes...test microelectromechanical systemstest microelectromechanical systemsTest microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) using appropriate equipment and testing techniques, such as thermal shock tests, thermal cycling tests, and burn-in tests. Monitor and evaluate system perfor...join metalsjoin metalsJoin together pieces of metal using soldering and welding materials.perform data analysisperform data analysisCollect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.develop hazardous waste management strategiesdevelop hazardous waste management strategiesDevelop strategies which aim to increase the efficiency in which a facility treats, transports, and disposes of hazardous waste materials, such as radioactive waste, chemicals, and electronics.record test datarecord test dataRecord data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptiona...apply statistical analysis techniquesapply statistical analysis techniquesUse models (descriptive or inferential statistics) and techniques (data mining or machine learning) for statistical analysis and ICT tools to analyse data, uncover correlations and forecast trends.dispose of soldering wastedispose of soldering wasteCollect and transport solder dross in special containers for hazardous waste.perform data miningperform data miningExplore large datasets to reveal patterns using statistics, database systems or artificial intelligence and present the information in a comprehensible way.analyse big dataanalyse big dataCollect and evaluate numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of identifying patterns between the data.perform chemical experimentsperform chemical experimentsPerform chemical experiments with the aim of testing various products and substances in order to draw conclusions in terms of product viability and replicability.analyse test dataanalyse test dataInterpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.work with chemicalswork with chemicalsHandle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.manage datamanage dataAdminister all types of data resources through their lifecycle by performing data profiling, parsing, standardisation, identity resolution, cleansing, enhancement and auditing. Ensure the data is fit ...read engineering drawingsread engineering drawingsRead the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.abide by regulations on banned materialsabide by regulations on banned materialsComply with regulations banning heavy metals in solder, flame retardants in plastics, and phthalate plasticisers in plastics and wiring harness insulations, under EU RoHS/WEEE Directives and China RoH...report analysis resultsreport analysis resultsProduce research documents or give presentations to report the results of a conducted research and analysis project, indicating the analysis procedures and methods which led to the results, as well as...use specific data analysis softwareuse specific data analysis softwareUse specific software for data analysis, including statistics, spreadsheets, and databases. Explore possibilities in order to make reports to managers, superiors, or clients.
Optional (28) — show
electricity principleselectricity principlesElectricity is created when electric current flows along a conductor. It entails the movement of free electrons between atoms. The more free electrons are present in a material, the better this materi...material mechanicsmaterial mechanicsThe behaviour of solid objects when subjected to stresses and strains, and the methods to calculate these stresses and strains.precision mechanicsprecision mechanicsPrecision or fine mechanics is a subdiscipline in engineering that focuses on the design and development of smaller precision machines.composite materialscomposite materialsThe properties of different materials developped in a laboratory, their usage per type of products, and how to create them.CAE softwareCAE softwareThe software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.laboratory techniqueslaboratory techniquesTechniques applied in the different fields of natural science in order to obtain experimental data such as gravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, electronic or thermic methods.quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.nanotechnologynanotechnologyTechnologies, science, and engineering activities conducted on a nanoscale, where material or extremely small components are manipulated on an atomic, molecular, or supramolecular scale.microopticsmicroopticsOptical devices with a size of 1 millimeter or smaller, such as microlenses and micromirrors.micromechanicsmicromechanicsThe design and production of micromechanisms. Micromechanisms combine mechanical and electrical components in a single device that is less than 1mm across.optoelectronicsoptoelectronicsBranch of electronics and optics dedicated to the study and use of electronic devices that detect and control light.microsensorsmicrosensorsDevices with a size smaller than 1 mm that can convert a non-electric signal, such as temperature, into an electrical signal. Because of their size, microsensors offer better accuracy, range, and sens...conduct literature researchconduct literature researchConduct a comprehensive and systematic research of information and publications on a specific literature topic. Present a comparative evaluative literature summary.adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.define manufacturing quality criteriadefine manufacturing quality criteriaDefine and describe the criteria by which data quality is measured for manufacturing purposes, such as international standards and manufacturing regulations.advise on pollution preventionadvise on pollution preventionAdvise individuals and organisations on the development and implementation of actions which aid in the prevention of pollution and its related risks.perform scientific researchperform scientific researchGain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.create technical planscreate technical plansCreate detailed technical plans of machinery, equipment, tools and other products.develop material testing proceduresdevelop material testing proceduresDevelop testing protocols in collaboration with engineers and scientists to enable a variety of analyses such as environmental, chemical, physical, thermal, structural, resistance or surface analyses ...use CAM softwareuse CAM softwareUse computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programmes to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpieces.integrate new products in manufacturingintegrate new products in manufacturingAssist with the integration of new systems, products, methods, and components in the production line. Ensure that production workers are properly trained and follow the new requirements.use precision toolsuse precision toolsUse electronic, mechanical, electric, or optical precision tools, such as drilling machines, grinders, gear cutters and milling machines to boost accuracy while machining products.develop microelectromechanical system test proceduresdevelop microelectromechanical system test proceduresDevelop testing protocols, such as parametric tests and burn-in tests, to enable a variety of analyses of microelectromechanical (MEM) systems, products, and components before, during, and after the b...use CAD softwareuse CAD softwareUse computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.design prototypesdesign prototypesDesign prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.operate scientific measuring equipmentoperate scientific measuring equipmentOperate devices, machinery, and equipment designed for scientific measurement. Scientific equipment consists of specialised measuring instruments refined to facilitate the acquisition of data.advise on waste management proceduresadvise on waste management proceduresAdvise organisations on the implementation of waste regulations and on improvement strategies for waste management and waste minimisation, to increase environmentally sustainable practices and environ...
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Frequently asked questions
What does a microelectronics materials engineer do?
Microelectronics materials engineers design, develop and supervise the production of materials that are required for microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and are able to apply them in these devices, appliances, products. They aid the design of microelectronics with physical and chemical knowledge about metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials. They conduct research on material structures, perform analysis, investigate failure mechanisms, and supervise research works.
What skills does a microelectronics materials engineer need?
A microelectronics materials engineer needs 47 essential skills, including data mining, manufacturing processes, machine learning, electrical engineering, emergent technologies.
Will AI replace microelectronics materials engineer jobs?
The AI disruption score for microelectronics materials engineer is 69/100 (high risk). Skills most exposed to automation: sensors, record test data, quality standards. Most resilient: dispose of soldering waste, emergent technologies, artificial neural networks.
AI Replacement Risk
69/ 100
High Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Skills most at risk from AI
Skills resilient to automation
This is the average for the whole occupation. The AI Career Shield test (about 10 minutes) shows the risk in your own work and what you can do about it.
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