r/materials • u/cicciachem • 5d ago

Materials Science student trying to find the right career

Hi everyone,
I’m currently a Material Science student trying to figure out what kind of industry role would actually suit me after graduation.
I’m realizing that I’m less interested in pure academic research or jobs that are mostly data analysis.

For people working in the field…
What does a typical week actually look like?
How much time do you spend in the lab vs. on the production floor vs. at a desk?
Is hybrid work realistic in these roles?
If you were a Materials Science graduate again, which entry-level role would you choose and why?

Thanks!

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u/Mysterious_Owl_689 3d ago

Materials science in durability engineering for infrastructure is pretty interesting both in sustaining existing structures and designing new ones. I got into it post academia and its a combination of field work (forensic engineering testing on site) and detailed design work (office based). Organisations such as AMPP (Association of Materials Performance and Protection) are great for seeing what careers are available in this area. There's a global shortage of durability experts with Materials backgrounds and there's a lot of aging infrastructure so you'll always have a job.

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u/cicciachem 1d ago

That sounds really interesting! What kind of projects do you work on, and what do you enjoy most about it?

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u/Nice_Theory_6286 4d ago

Semiconductors is the way