Nanosystems Engineers

Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.

Most important skills

Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Science
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Writing
Mathematics
Active Learning

Key knowledge

Engineering and Technology
Physics
Chemistry
Mathematics
Computers and Electronics
English Language
Education and Training
Production and Processing

What the work involves

Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.
Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.
Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.
Identify new applications for existing nanotechnologies.
Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.
Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy.
Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Realistic, Conventional.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Doctoral Degree (57.1% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (38.1%)
On-the-job training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (33.3%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 5: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Nanosystems Engineers is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Projection education uses SOC 17-2199 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Very low	Lower on contact with others than 82% of occupations compared	38% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others about half the time”
Dealing with the public	Low	Lower on dealing with the public than 61% of occupations compared	29% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important”
Teamwork	Moderate	Higher on teamwork than 54% of occupations compared	48% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important”
Freedom to make decisions	High	Higher on freedom to make decisions than 68% of occupations compared	67% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Very low	Lower on time pressure than 87% of occupations compared	48% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Conflict situations	Low	Lower on conflict situations than 71% of occupations compared	57% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 78% of occupations compared	52% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Consequence of error	High	Higher on consequence of error than 68% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Very serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very low
Conflict situations: low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
Consequence of error: high

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions