Materials Engineer

A Materials Engineer designs, tests, and selects materials for manufacturing and construction applications in Australian industries including aerospace, automotive, mining, and infrastructure. They conduct materials testing using laboratory equipment, analyse failure modes, and recommend material specifications that meet performance, cost, and regulatory requirements. They work in manufacturing plants, research facilities, or engineering consultancies to optimise material selection and improve product durability and sustainability.

Conduct tensile, compression, hardness, and fatigue testing using equipment such as universal testing machines and microscopes to determine material properties. Analyse fractured or failed components using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to identify failure mechanisms. Select and specify materials for components based on engineering requirements including strength-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance, and thermal performance. Design and execute materials testing programmes to validate material performance against Australian Standards (AS), ASME standards, and customer specifications. Create phase diagrams and conduct metallurgical analysis to understand material microstructure and behaviour under different processing conditions. Collaborate with design engineers to modify material specifications or alternative materials to reduce manufacturing costs or improve product performance. Document test results, create technical reports, and maintain materials databases for traceability and regulatory compliance in aerospace or automotive sectors. Advise on material processing methods including heat treatment, casting, and forming to achieve desired mechanical properties and reduce defects.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll need a bachelor's degree minimum, and the job involves repetitive lab work running the same tests week after week. Pay tops out earlier than other engineering fields, and automation is creeping in: software now handles some analysis tasks that used to require your expertise. It's detail-heavy work with real consequences if you miss a failure mode.

Some roles exist in mining regions. Remote work is rare because the job demands hands-on lab time and equipment access.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2331, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Data Entry and Accuracycore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Process Documentationcore
• Process Improvement Identificationcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• ERP and Inventory Systems
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Negotiation
• Reporting and Analytics
• Supplier Communication
• Time Management and Prioritisation

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026