Nanotechnology Engineering Technologist

Other Titles

Research Associate, Research Scientist, Research Specialist, Research Staff Member, Scientific Research Associate, Scientist, Staff Scientist, Technical Research Scientist

Implement production processes for nanoscale designs to produce 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. Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists work with nanotechnology engineers and other workers to design, develop and test nanotech components, products and systems. They are typically tasked with providing technical advice and assistance during the research and development of nanotech designs. In this capacity, they use various tools and techniques to study molecular structures, record the data of such analysis and provide this data to the engineering staff. Their responsibilities also include helping create the sub-components which may be used in the manufacturing of the nanotech systems. A part of their job also includes installing nanotech equipment and testing it to ensure that it operates properly.

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.

Supervise or provide technical direction to technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.

Collaborate with scientists or engineers to design or conduct experiments for the development of nanotechnology materials, components, devices, or systems.

Collect or compile nanotechnology research or engineering data.

Monitor hazardous waste cleanup procedures to ensure proper application of nanocomposites or accomplishment of objectives.

Contribute written material or data for grant or patent applications.

Inspect or measure thin films of carbon nanotubes, polymers, or inorganic coatings, using a variety of techniques or analytical tools.

Mix raw materials or catalysts to manufacture nanoparticles according to specifications, ensuring proper particle size, shape, or organization.

Compare the performance or environmental impact of nanomaterials by nanoparticle size, shape, or organization.

Develop or modify wet chemical or industrial laboratory experimental techniques for nanoscale use.

Process nanoparticles or nanostructures, using technologies such as ultraviolet radiation, microwave energy, or catalysis.

Prepare detailed verbal or written presentations for scientists, engineers, project managers, or upper management.

Implement new or enhanced methods or processes for the processing, testing, or manufacture of nanotechnology materials or products.

Prepare capability data, training materials, or other documentation for transfer of processes to production.

Analyze the life cycle of nanomaterials or nano-enabled products to determine environmental impact.

Install nanotechnology production equipment at customer or manufacturing sites.

Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Mathematics→ Using mathematics to solve problems.

Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Science→ Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Operation Monitoring→ Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Quality Control Analysis→ Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Operation and Control→ Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Instructing→ Teaching others how to do something.

Systems Analysis→ Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Systems Evaluation→ Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Controlling Machines and Processes→ Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Developing and Building Teams→ Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment→ Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical principles.

Measure physical or chemical properties of materials or objects.

Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.

Research engineering applications of emerging technologies.

Monitor activities affecting environmental quality.

Prepare contracts, disclosures, or applications.

Operate precision equipment to control microscopic or nanoscopic processes.

Investigate the environmental impact of projects.

Devise research or testing protocols.

Implement design or process improvements.

Prepare technical reports for internal use.

Prepare procedural documents.

Install production equipment or systems.

Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Flexibility of Closure→ The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Originality→ The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Control Precision→ The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Mathematical Reasoning→ The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Number Facility→ The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Visualization→ The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

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.

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.

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.

Mathematics→ Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Design→ Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Production and Processing→ Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Analytical or scientific software -- Image analysis software; Simulation software; SPMLab

Computer aided design CAD software

Database user interface and query software -- e.g., Microsoft Access

Graphics or photo imaging software -- Optical imaging systems; Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop ; GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP; Microsoft Visio ; Trimble SketchUp Pro; SmugMug Flickr

Office suite software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect Office; Microsoft Office; Google Workspace

Operating system software -- e.g., Apple Safari; Windows Explorer; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox

Presentation software -- e.g., Google Slides; Corel Presentations; Microsoft PowerPoint

Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets

Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs

Binocular light compound microscopes→ Fluorescence optical microscopes; Optical compound microscopes; Optical profilers

Chemical or gas sterilizers→ Ultraviolet ozone cleaners

Decontamination shower→ Safety showers

Desktop computers

Dropping pipettes→ Pipettes

Drying cabinets or ovens→ Spin dryers

Electron microscopes→ Auger electron microscopes

Electronic counters→ Particle counters

Eyewashers or eye wash stations→ Eyewash stations

Facial shields→ Face shields

Fire extinguishers

Goggles→ Safety goggles

Impedance meters→ Four-point probes

Interferometers

Ion exchange equipment→ Deionization water systems

Isolation glove boxes

Lab coats→ Protective gowns

Laboratory evaporators→ Thermal evaporators

Laboratory hotplates→ Hotplates; Vacuum hotplates

Laboratory mechanical convection ovens→ Bake ovens

Laboratory safety furnaces→ Oxidation furnaces

Light scattering equipment→ Zeta potential analyzers

Manometers→ Capacitance manometers

Multi gas monitors→ Residual gas analyzers

Optical diffraction apparatus→ Particle size analyzers

Pressure indicators→ Bourdon tube gauges

Protective aprons→ Chemical protective aprons

Protective gloves→ Cryogenic gloves; Gowning gloves

Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories→ Self-contained breathing apparatus

Respirators

Scanning electron microscopes→ Field emission scanning electron microscopes FESEM; Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopes FIB-SEM; Scanning electron microscopes SEM

Scanning probe microscopes→ Atomic force microscopes AFM; Scanning acoustic microscopes; Scanning probe microscopes SPM; Scanning tunneling microscopes STM

Semiconductor process systems→ Atomic layer deposition ALD systems; Capacitively coupled plasma CCP reactors; Contact aligners; Dielectric deposition tools; Electron beam evaporators; Electron beam writers; Extreme ultraviolet EUV systems; Focused ion beam FIB etching tools; Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etchers ICP-RIE; Ion implanters; Ion mills; Low pressure chemical vapor deposition LPCVD systems; Magnetron plasma sputter reactors; Mask aligners; Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition MOCVD systems; Molecular beam epitaxy MBE systems; Molecular vapor deposition MVD systems; Nanoimprint lithography NIL systems; Parallel plate reactive ion etchers RIE; Photoresist dispensing systems; Photoresist spin coaters; Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition PECVD systems; Vacuum contact printers; Wafer substrate bonders; Plasma etchers; Spin processors; Sputter coaters; Wire bonders

Semiconductor testers→ Linewidth measurement systems; Optical thin film measurement systems; Parametric analyzers

Signal generators→ Digital pattern generators

Single gas monitors→ Helium leak detectors

Spectrometers→ Energy dispersive x-ray EDX spectroscopes; Infrared spectroscopes; Photoelectron spectroscopes; Secondary ion mass spectrometers SIMS

Spectrophotometers

Surface testers→ Profilometers

Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers→ Rapid thermal annealers RTA

Thermostatic baths→ Chemical baths

Thickness measuring devices→ Ellipsometers; Spectroscopic ellipsometers

Transmission electron microscopes→ Transmission electron microscopes TEM

Tumblers or polishers→ Chemical mechanical polishing CMP systems

Turbine pumps→ Turbo pumps

Tweezers→ Optical tweezers

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment→ Ultrasonic cleaners

Vacuum gauges→ Ionization gauges; Pirani gauges

Vacuum ovens

X ray diffraction equipment→ X ray diffractometers

Realistic→ Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Investigative→ Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Conventional→ Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.

Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Achievement→ Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Recognition→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Working Conditions→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.