Materials Technician

Introduction

Materials technicians help materials scientists and technologists. They experiment on materials and products, work in production, and test how materials react to different conditions, including temperature and stress. They may work in mining, metal industries, shipbuilding, oil refineries, manufacturing and engineering.

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Work Activities

Materials technicians help materials scientists and technologists. They do routine tests on materials for weight, strength, flexibility and reliability. They work with a very wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, cement, glass, sand and electronics.

If the material is in use, the tests have to be non-destructive to avoid harming the material. These tests can use dyes and liquids to show cracks and ultrasound to look at the inside of the material.

In primary processing, technicians help to extract and refine materials, including metals. They may deal with material at the basic level of atoms and molecules, They may recycle materials such as ceramics and glass, and metals such as steel. In secondary processing, technicians convert materials into products, for example, making plastics from materials produced when petroleum is refined.

Technicians work to strict standards, including government and European Union legislation. For example, they may work on materials that meet or surpass fire safety regulations, using X-rays to analyse the internal effects of high temperatures on metals. A senior technician often interprets results and may produce a written report for scientists and technologists.

Technicians operate and maintain sophisticated equipment, including automated testing systems, electron microscopes, X-ray machines and computers.

Technicians do the routine running of the laboratory: setting up and putting away equipment, stock taking, ordering new equipment and dealing with laboratory waste.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a materials technician, you must be interested in practical science and the potential uses of materials. You will need a patient, methodical and investigative approach to research, development and testing.

You must be able to express your findings clearly. Senior technicians may write reports of the team's work. You will need good communication skills to express your findings clearly to team members.

You must have good number and IT skills to take measurements and to record and analyse results.

For some types of testing you need good colour vision.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salaries for materials technicians vary.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Materials technicians earn in the range of £16,000 - £19,000 a year, rising to £20,500 - £25,000. Higher earners can make around £27,000 a year.

Materials technicians usually work a 39-hour week, Monday to Friday. Occasional late finishes may be required, and shift work is common in production work.

Most materials technicians work in industry, for example, in research and development or in quality control and production.

Employers are producers of metals, plastics, polymers, synthetic rubbers, natural and man-made fibres, ceramics and glass. Other employers are firms that use materials, for example, engineering industries, telecommunications, gas, electricity, chemical, oil and nuclear power companies.

There are research opportunities in private industry, in university laboratories, industrial research associations, contract research laboratories and government laboratories, such as the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Building Research Establishment.

There are also opportunities to work in other countries.

There is an increasing demand for materials technicians.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have developed skills through experience in engineering, or manufacturing process industries (eg, as an operative) in areas such as polymers, plastics or ceramics.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

• 16% of people in occupations such as materials technician work part-time.
• 13% have flexible hours.
• 9% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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New Developments

Some people working in this occupation may be involved in the green jobs sector in areas such as renewable energy or waste management.