Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC
Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians
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 called: Nanofabrication Specialist, Process Engineering Technician (Process Engineering Tech), R and D Engineer (Research and Development Engineer), Research Lab Associate (Research Laboratory Associate), Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech), Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician), Research Scientist, Research Specialist.
O*NET 17-3026.01
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $66,120
- Middle half earn $55,760 to $80,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Doctoral Degree
- 40% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
- US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034
- +2% · Slower than average
- 74,600 jobs in 2024, projected 75,900. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Industrial engineering technologists and technicians".
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1 / 5
- Critical Thinking4.0 / 5
- Writing3.8 / 5
- Active Listening3.6 / 5
- Science3.6 / 5
- Speaking3.4 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.3 / 5
- English Language4.2 / 5
- Computers and Electronics4.0 / 5
- Chemistry4.0 / 5
- Mathematics3.8 / 5
- Physics3.7 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic86
- Investigative66
- Artistic9
- Social1
- Enterprising17
- Conventional64
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- biochemist · DE Biochemiker/Biochemikerin · FR biochimiste
- biophysicist · DE Biophysiker/Biophysikerin · FR biophysicien/biophysicienne
- biochemical engineer · DE Ingenieur Biochemietechnik/Ingenieurin Biochemietechnik · FR ingénieur biochimiste en industrie/ingénieure biochimiste en industrie
- nanoengineer · DE Ingenieur für Nanotechnologie/Ingenieurin für Nanotechnologie · FR ingénieur en nanotechnologie/ingénieure en nanotechnologie
- bioengineer · DE Bioingenieur/Bioingenieurin · FR ingénieur en biotechnologie/ingénieure en biotechnologie
- university research assistant · DE Forschungsassistent/Forschungsassistentin · FR assistant de recherche/assistante de recherche
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Quantity surveyors (2453)45,300 employed
- Higher education teaching professionals (2311)258,500 employed
- Quality assurance technicians (3115)36,100 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Technicians and associate professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €50,992 |
| Austria | €46,986 |
| Germany | €44,473 |
| Netherlands | €42,448 |
| Ireland | €41,613 |
| Sweden | €41,155 |
| Italy | €34,882 |
| France | €34,816 |
| Spain | €29,757 |
| Portugal | €18,080 |
| Poland | €12,108 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.61. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-3026).
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