Metallurgical Technician

Scientists who work in metallurgy specialize in removing ores from the earth’s crust, extracting metals from the ore, and discovering new metals and uses for them. This exciting field is responsible for the discovery of brass, nickel, steel, and all the other metals we use every day. Cars, planes, barstools, picture frames, ink pens—everywhere we look, metallurgy touches our lives.

As a Metallurgical Technician, you work to develop new processes for mining metals. This involves removing the product from the earth, as well as breaking the ore into usable parts. When ore is extracted from the earth, it is a combination of metals, minerals, water, and other ingredients. Through your Metallurgical Technician efforts, that ore is separated into components that can then be used to make alloys, which are a combination of metals. For example, bronze is a mixture of copper and tin. Alloys, in turn, are used to make products.

Your specific duties as a Metallurgical Technician include collecting samples, testing equipment, and making repairs. You work in product research and development as the right hand to Engineers and Scientists. That means you help design and evaluate blueprints for new technology and equipment. You aid in the production of prototypes, and perform tests on metals. This is done using specialized tools, such as x-rays and microscopes, which help you discover cracks or other impurities in the design. Once you complete your examination, you report any variations and make suggestions about how to improve the product.