How to become a materials engineer
Official title: Materials engineer
Also called: Building materials engineer, Corrosion engineer, Materials engineer (nanotechnology), Metallographer, Welding engineer, Building materials engineer, Metallographer, Welding engineer
Materials engineer researches and designs new or improved materials for a diverse number of applications. He/she analyses the composition of materials, conducts experiments, and develops new materials for industry-specific use that can range from rubber, to textiles, glass, metals, and chemicals. He/she also advises companies in damage assessments, quality assurance of materials, and recycling of materials.
Main tasks
- Studying and advising on engineering aspects of particular manufacturing processes, such as those related to glass, ceramics, textiles, leather products, wood, and printing
Ways in
- University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 4 universities in Singapore
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $103,716 a year. The middle half earn $79,104 to $129,660 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Procurement engineer
- Optical engineer
- Biomedical engineer
- Industrial safety engineer
- Quantity surveyor
- Intellectual property engineer
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Questions people ask
How do I become a materials engineer?
Ways in include: Engineering degrees.
How much does a materials engineer earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $103,716 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $79,104 to $129,660.
Will AI change the work of a materials engineer?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026