Career Overview
Implement production processes and operate commercial-scale production equipment to produce, test, or modify materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition. Operate advanced microscopy equipment to manipulate nanoscale objects. Work under the supervision of nanoengineering staff.
Also Known As
- Nanofabrication Specialist
- Process Engineering Technician (Process Engineering Tech)
- R and D Engineer (Research and Development Engineer)
- Research Lab Associate (Research Laboratory Associate)
Alternate Job Titles
- Cleanroom Operator
- Cleanroom Technician (Cleanroom Tech)
- Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech)
- Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician)
- Nanofabrication Specialist
- Nanoscience Technician (Nanoscience Tech)
- Nanotechnician
- Nanotechnologist
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technician (Nanotechnology Engineering Tech)
- Nanotechnology Technician (Nanotechnology Tech)
- Process Engineering Technician (Process Engineering Tech)
- R and D Engineer (Research and Development Engineer)
- Research Lab Associate (Research Laboratory Associate)
- Research Scientist
- Research Specialist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Produce images or measurements, using tools or techniques such as atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, particle size analysis, or zeta potential analysis.
- Maintain accurate record or batch-record documentation of nanoproduction.
- Calibrate nanotechnology equipment, such as weighing, testing, or production equipment.
- Maintain work area according to cleanroom or other processing standards.
- Repair nanotechnology processing or testing equipment or submit work orders for equipment repair.
- Assist nanoscientists or engineers in processing or characterizing materials according to physical or chemical properties.
- Collaborate with scientists or engineers to design or conduct experiments for the development of nanotechnology materials, components, devices, or systems.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Education and Training
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Listening
- Science
- Complex Problem Solving
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Category Flexibility
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Support
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
- Independence
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Atomic force microscopes AFM
- Atomic layer deposition ALD systems
- Auger electron microscopes
- Bake ovens
- Bourdon tube gauges
- Capacitance manometers
- Capacitively coupled plasma CCP reactors
- Chemical aprons
- Chemical baths
- Chemical mechanical polishing CMP systems
- Chemical protective aprons
- Contact aligners
- Contact printers
- Cryogenic gloves
- Deionization water systems
Work Environment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Contact With Others
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $46,370 |
| Median | $64,790 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $97,670 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 73,410
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Nanosystems Engineers
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $117,750
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $68,730
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $64,790
Chemical Technicians
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $57,790
Robotics Technicians
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $70,760
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.