Details Report for:
17-3029.12 - Nanotechnology Engineering Technicians
Operate commercial-scale production equipment to produce, test, or modify materials, devices, or systems of molecular or macromolecular composition. Work under the supervision of engineering staff.
This title represents an occupation for which data collection is currently underway.
Tasks | Tools & Technology | Wages & Employment | Additional Information
Tasks Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Operate nanotechnology compounding, testing, processing, or production equipment in accordance with appropriate standard operating procedures, good manufacturing practices, hazardous material restrictions, or health and safety requirements.
- Assemble components, using techniques such as interference fitting, solvent bonding, adhesive bonding, heat sealing, or ultrasonic welding.
- Assist scientists, engineers or technologists in processing or characterizing materials according to physical and chemical properties.
- Assist scientists, engineers, or technologists in writing process specifications or documentation.
- Calibrate nanotechnology equipment, such as weighing, testing, or production equipment.
- Inspect work products to ensure quality and adherence to specifications.
- Maintain accurate production record or batch record documentation.
- Measure or mix chemicals or compounds in accordance with detailed instructions or formulas.
- Monitor equipment during operation to ensure adherence to specifications for characteristics such as pressure, temperature, or flow.
- Operate computer-controlled machine tools.
- Perform functional tests of nano-enhanced assemblies, components, or systems, using equipment such as torque gauges or conductivity meters.
- Produce detailed images or measurement of objects, using tools such as scanning tunneling microscopes or oscilloscopes.
- Record test results in logs, laboratory notebooks, or spreadsheet software.
- Set up and execute experiments according to detailed instructions.
- Compile information and prepare reports.
- Maintain work area according to cleanroom or other processing standards.
- Repair nanotechnology processing or testing equipment or submit work orders for equipment repair.
- Track inventory and order new supplies, as needed.
- Measure emission of nanodust or nanoparticles, using systems such as aerosol detection systems, during nanocomposite or other nano-scale production processes.
- Measure or report toxicity of engineered nanoparticles.
- Test nano-enabled products to determine amount of shedding or loss of nanoparticles.
Tools & Technology Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Tools used in this occupation:
| Binocular light compound microscopes — Fluorescence optical microscopes; Optical compound microscopes; Optical profilers |
| Laboratory evaporators — Electron beam evaporators; Thermal evaporators |
| Laboratory hotplates — Hotplates; Vacuum hotplates |
| Protective gloves — Cryogenic gloves; Gowning gloves |
| Scanning electron microscopes — Field emission scanning electron microscopes FESEM; Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopes FIB-SEM; Scanning electron microscopes SEM |
| Scanning probe microscopes — Atomic force microscopes AFM; Scanning acoustic microscopes; Scanning probe microscopes SPM; Scanning tunneling microscopes STM |
| Semiconductor process systems — Contact printers; Magnetron plasma sputter reactors; Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition PECVD systems; Wafer substrate bonders (see all 28 examples) |
| Semiconductor testers — Linewidth measurement systems; Optical thin film measurement systems; Parametric analyzers |
| Spectrometers — Energy dispersive x-ray EDX spectroscopes; Infrared spectroscopes; Photoelectron spectroscopes; Secondary ion mass spectrometers SIMS |
| Thickness measuring devices — Ellipsometers; Spectroscopic ellipsometers |
| Vacuum gauges — Ion gauges; Pirani gauges |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Analytical or scientific software — Image analysis software; Simulation software; SPMLab |
| Computer aided design CAD software |
| Data base user interface and query software — Microsoft Access |
| Graphics or photo imaging software — Optical imaging systems |
| Office suite software — Microsoft Office software |
| Operating system software — Microsoft Windows |
| Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint |
| Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel |
| Word processing software — Microsoft Word |
Wages & Employment Trends
National
Median wages data collected from Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other.
Employment data collected from Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other.
Industry data collected from Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other.
| Median wages (2010) | $27.89 hourly, $58,020 annual |
| Employment (2008) | 77,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2008-2018) | 
Slower than average (3% to 6%)
|
| Projected job openings (2008-2018) | 18,500 |
| Top industries (2008) | Manufacturing (28% employed in this sector)
Government (24%)
|
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2010 wage data
and 2008-2018 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2008-2018). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
- Engineering technicians
. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition.