Qualifications
Did you ever hear about how Jim became a materials engineer? Yeah, he was on his way to his job as a bartender, when he spotted a sign that said, "Help Wanted: Materials Engineer." He walked in, wrote his name under a sign-up sheet, and the rest is history.
Does that seems a little...farfetched? It is, obviously. Sure, all materials engineers need to be good communicators, creative thinkers, good with numbers, and interested in how stuff works. But what do you have to actually do?
For starters, all materials engineers need a bachelor's degree from a university program accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. You'll take classes like "Nanostructure and Characterization," "Atomic Arrangements in Solids," and—if you're feeling really ambitious—you might take something like "Japanese Companies and Societies."
Once you have your bachelor's, there's something of a fork in the road. Some materials engineers will go straight into the work force, while a handful will pursue a master's degree in materials science.
After spending four-plus years learning about engineering, you might be tempted to call yourself a "pro." Hold your horses, though—depending on your state, you may need a special license. Licensed engineers are called "Professional Engineers," or PEs.
Want to be a licensed pro? You'll need to complete several steps: first, earn that degree; pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam; spend some time getting work experience; and pass another test, the Professional Engineering exam. It'll only take about ten years and more concentrated brainpower than most other people use in a lifetime. But you can handle that, right?