Nanosystems Engineers

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Reengineer nanomaterials to improve biodegradability.
• Develop green building nanocoatings, such as self-cleaning, anti-stain, depolluting, anti-fogging, anti-icing, antimicrobial, moisture-resistant, or ultraviolet protectant coatings.
• Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.
• Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.
• Apply nanotechnology to improve the performance or reduce the environmental impact of energy products, such as fuel cells or solar cells.
• Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
• Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems.
• Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.
• Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography.
• Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy.
• Design nanosystems with components such as nanocatalysts or nanofiltration devices to clean specific pollutants from hazardous waste sites.
• Prepare nanotechnology-related invention disclosures or patent applications.
• Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy.
• Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.
• Design nano-based manufacturing processes to minimize water, chemical, or energy use, as well as to reduce waste production.
• Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production.
• Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.
• Identify new applications for existing nanotechnologies.
• Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems.
• Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.
• Design or engineer nanomaterials, nanodevices, nano-enabled products, or nanosystems, using three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) software.
• Integrate nanotechnology with antimicrobial properties into products, such as household or medical appliances, to reduce the development of bacteria or other microbes.
• Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems.
• Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
• Design nano-enabled products with reduced toxicity, increased durability, or improved energy efficiency.
• Develop catalysis or other green chemistry methods to synthesize nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, nanocrystals, nanorods, or nanowires.
• Coordinate or supervise the work of suppliers or vendors in the designing, building, or testing of nanosystem devices, such as lenses or probes.
• Design nanoparticle catalysts to detect or remove chemical or other pollutants from water, soil, or air.

Skills

• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.

Abilities

• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.

Knowledge

• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Education

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

×

Education and Training Opportunities

• Gonzaga University
  E 502 Boone Ave, Spokane WA 99258-0001
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 800-986-9585
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.gonzaga.edu/
  Program Name
  Engineering, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• North Seattle College
  9600 College Way North, Seattle WA 98103-3599
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 206-934-3600
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://www.northseattle.edu/
  Program Name
  Nanotechnology
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

  ---

• Seattle Pacific University
  3307 3rd Ave W, Seattle WA 98119-1997
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 206-281-2000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://spu.edu/
  Program Name
  Engineering, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Seattle University
  900 Broadway, Seattle WA 98122-4340
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 206-296-6000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.seattleu.edu/
  Program Name
  Engineering, Other
  Length
  Less than one year
  Award Level
  Postbaccalaureate certificate, Post-master's certificate
  Save
  Program Name
  Systems Engineering
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save

  ---

• University of Washington-Seattle Campus
  1400 NE Campus Parkway, Seattle WA 98195-4550
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  20,000 and above

  Financial Aid 206-543-2100
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.washington.edu/
  Program Name
  Engineering, Other
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree, Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Nanotechnology
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree, Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
  Save
  Program Name
  Forest Engineering
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree, Doctor's degree - research/scholarship, Master's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Engineering, General
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Electrical and Computer Engineering
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Systems Engineering
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Manufacturing Engineering
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save

  ---

• University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
  1900 Commerce St, Tacoma WA 98402-3100
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 253-692-4400
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/
  Program Name
  Electrical and Computer Engineering
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save

  ---

• Washington State University
  French Administration Building, Pullman WA 99164-5910
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  20,000 and above

  Financial Aid 509-335-3564
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://wsu.edu/
  Program Name
  Nanotechnology
  Length
  Less than one year
  Award Level
  Postbaccalaureate certificate
  Save
  Program Name
  Engineering, General
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Engineering Science
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
  Save

  ---

• Western Washington University
  516 High Street, Bellingham WA 98225-9008
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  10,000 - 19,999

  Financial Aid 360-650-3000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://wwu.edu/
  Program Name
  Manufacturing Engineering
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Electrical and Computer Engineering
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree, Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Whitman College
  345 Boyer Ave, Walla Walla WA 99362
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-527-5111
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://www.whitman.edu/
  Program Name
  Engineering, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

Close

Pay

Washington Annual Salary

125080/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

60.14/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

4,670

Yearly Projected Openings

350

Personality

Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:

• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Integrity
• Persistence
• Initiative
• Cooperation

Tools

• Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
• Binocular light compound microscopes
• Capacitance meters
• Computer servers
• Cryogenic temperature controllers
• Cryostats
• Desktop computers
• Drying cabinets or ovens
• Electronic measuring probes
• Fume hoods or cupboards
• Goniometers or arthrometers
• Handheld refractometers or polarimeters
• Impedance meters
• Infrared dryers
• Infrared spectrometers
• Inkjet printers
• Isolation glove boxes
• Laboratory evaporators
• Laboratory safety furnaces
• Lasers
• Light scattering equipment
• Microprocessors
• Microtomes
• Network analyzers
• Optical diffraction apparatus
• Polarizing microscopes
• Potentiometers
• Reciprocating shaking water baths
• Scanning electron microscopes
• Scanning light or spinning disk or laser scanning microscopes
• Scanning probe microscopes
• Semiconductor process systems
• Semiconductor testers
• Signal generators
• Spectrometers
• Spectrophotometers
• Surface testers
• Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers
• Thermal differential analyzers
• Thickness measuring devices
• Transmission electron microscopes
• Tumblers or polishers
• Vacuum ovens
• Video attachments for microscopes
• Voltage or current meters
• X ray diffraction equipment

Technology

• Analytical or scientific software
• Business intelligence and data analysis software
• Computer aided design CAD software
• Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
• Customer relationship management CRM software
• Data base management system software
• Data base user interface and query software
• Development environment software
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Graphics or photo imaging software
• Industrial control software
• Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
• Medical software
• Object or component oriented development software
• Office suite software
• Operating system software
• Presentation software
• Process mapping and design software
• Project management software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software