Materials Science careers
A career in Materials Science and Engineering can take many forms, and can take you into whatever area you want, in whatever part of the world you want to work.
Take control of your career
Your achievements and experiences, as well as your course, help you to discover more about yourself and can prepare you for a successful career anywhere in the world. You'll gain a strong set of transferable skills, including
- analytical and problem-solving skills
- time management, planning and organisation
- research and report writing
- team working and communication skills
- numerical skills
There's a vast array of opportunities available to you here at Sheffield, and not just in the lab or lecture theatre:
International students
If you're an international student, the Careers Service offers a variety of resources and support to help in your career planning, whether it be in the UK or internationally.
Interested in working in the UK after you graduate? Graduate jobs in the UK
Are you interested in working outside the UK after you graduate? Graduate jobs outside the UK
Where are our graduates now?
Upon completing your degree, you'll be equipped with the skills to succeed in a variety of jobs in
- manufacturing
- oil and gas
- aerospace
- nuclear industry
- armed forces
- teaching and research
- nanotechnology
- biomaterials
- development of sustainable materials
Working through the Atkins graduate scheme, you get to experience a huge variety of work; graduates tend to spend around 3 to 12 months on a particular project before changing to another. Working for a very large company means there are always a lot of opportunities to move around the UK, increase your personal and technical development, and meet lots of people.
Holly Humphries - Assistant Engineer, Atkins
MEng Materials Science and Engineering graduate 2012
While most graduates from Sheffield go to jobs where they use their Materials Science and Engineering knowledge and skills, some use the degree to follow a career path in other directions such as in the financial and legal sector, where the transferable skills are also valued.
- Graduate destinations
-
- Atkins
- Airbus
- Ametek
- Marconi
- British Gas
- British Telecom
- Rolls-Royce
- Pirelli Corus
- ICL
- Philips
- Composites
- Revolution
- TWI
- Barclays Bank
Start researching and planning your career whilst still at university to avoid stress, and be better equipped to achieve your goals. Make the most of the opportunities outside university that complement your academic CV. Work and industrial placements can make a huge difference to your employability.
Richard Senior - Patent Attorney, Withers and Rogers
MEng Biomaterial Science and Tissue Engineering graduate 2009* forerunner of MEng Materials Science and Engineering (Biomaterials)
Industrial Training Programme (ITP)
Part of the four-year MEng courses, the Industrial Training Programme (ITP) prepares students for professional practice.
It's an opportunity to enhance your underlying science and engineering knowledge further, as well as develop skills in
- project management
- communication
- personal effectiveness
Students will experience the culture in industry, working closely with employers throughout their degree course, becoming more commercially aware and making contacts with the potential to secure entry on to the graduate career ladder.
Programme breakdown
In the third and fourth year of study, students will take part in two or three Industrial Training Programmes, defined by an industry partner, focussing on different areas of Materials Science and Engineering. Previous ITPs have covered
- nuclear materials
- glass materials
- aerospace materials
- metallic materials
- advanced manufacturing
Specific collaborators and projects for the ITPs are subject to change, as the projects relate to real industrial problems. Previous collaborators have included Tata Steel, National Nuclear Laboratory, Superglass and Glass Technology Services.
Spanning between eight and 12 weeks, you will work in groups, applying Materials Science and Engineering knowledge to analyse and solve a relevant open-ended industrial problem. The programme will include
- small group seminars with industry experts and engineers
- academic lectures
- site visits to industry sites and technology centres
Placements
Placements provide practical experience of working in industry and research, and put your learning into context to give you a head start in the careers market - employers increasingly look for evidence of practical work experience, as it demonstrates a genuine interest in your chosen specialism.
MEng 5-month industrial placement
With all our MEng courses, as part of the course structure and alongside industrial projects and interaction, students take up a guaranteed 5-month industrial placement to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding within an employment context, as well as building relationships with contacts for future career opportunities.
We aim to match your interests within materials science with one of our industrial partners, to provide an experience that's useful, rewarding and engaging - many employers can use this time as an extended trial for offering a permanent job. Some placements have been taken up as far away as Mexico and New Zealand.
Philips Research, Eindhoven
Jaguar Land Rover, UK
BEng Year in Industry
Alongside three years of teaching, this course allows BEng students to undertake industrial experience. You'll pay a reduced fee to the University for that year and get paid a salary.
It is the student's responsibility to secure the placement for the year, but you'll receive comprehensive support and guidance from the school, the University's Careers Service and Faculty Employability Team both prior to and during your industrial placement.
The Employability Team will support your journey providing
- help with finding your industrial placement
- bookable CV and application sessions with the team & the careers advisers
- regular updates on Year in Industry preparatory sessions & events
- provision of Year in Industry materials, supporting your professional development during your placement year
- regular support and monitoring throughout the year
Summer placements
Internships with industry
Students often apply for internships to gain valuable insight into the engineering sector, and experience to enhance their employability skills upon graduating.
I think that if you are able to gain experience away from your own country it gives you a much wider perspective of the world, and improves your adaptability.
Euan Gray
Internship with BK AsiaPacific in Hong Kong
Research scholarships
You can apply to spend part of a summer in one of our research laboratories completing a 6-8 week-long placement.
I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career but always had an interest in nuclear so I applied for the summer placement. I really enjoyed it and it gave me insight into life as a researcher.
Steph Thornber
Summer placement with Nucleus Immobilisation Laboratory