Microsystems Engineers
Research, design, develop, or test microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Create schematics and physical layouts of integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components or packaged assemblies consistent with process, functional, or package constraints.
- Evaluate materials, fabrication methods, joining methods, surface treatments, or packaging to ensure acceptable processing, performance, cost, sustainability, or availability.
- Refine final microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design to optimize design for target dimensions, physical tolerances, or processing constraints.
- Investigate characteristics such as cost, performance, or process capability of potential microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device designs, using simulation or modeling software.
- Conduct harsh environmental testing, accelerated aging, device characterization, or field trials to validate devices, using inspection tools, testing protocols, peripheral instrumentation, or modeling and simulation software.
- Develop or file intellectual property and patent disclosure or application documents related to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, products, or systems.
- Conduct or oversee the conduct of prototype development or microfabrication activities to ensure compliance to specifications and promote effective production processes.
- Create or maintain formal engineering documents, such as schematics, bills of materials, components or materials specifications, or packaging requirements.
- Conduct experimental or virtual studies to investigate characteristics and processing principles of potential microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
- Conduct analyses addressing issues such as failure, reliability, or yield improvement.
- Plan or schedule engineering research or development projects involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
- Devise microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) production methods, such as integrated circuit fabrication, lithographic electroform modeling, or micromachining.
- Develop or validate specialized materials characterization procedures, such as thermal withstand, fatigue, notch sensitivity, abrasion, or hardness tests.
- Propose product designs involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, considering market data or customer requirements.
- Validate fabrication processes for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), using statistical process control implementation, virtual process simulations, data mining, or life testing.
- Demonstrate miniaturized systems that contain components, such as microsensors, microactuators, or integrated electronic circuits, fabricated on silicon or silicon carbide wafers.
- Develop formal documentation for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, including quality assurance guidance, quality control protocols, process control checklists, data collection, or reporting.
- Manage new product introduction projects to ensure effective deployment of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices or applications.
- Conduct acceptance tests, vendor-qualification protocols, surveys, audits, corrective-action reviews, or performance monitoring of incoming materials or components to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Develop or implement microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processing tools, fixtures, gages, dies, molds, or trays.
- Develop customer documentation, such as performance specifications, training manuals, or operating instructions.
- Communicate operating characteristics or performance experience to other engineers or designers for training or new product development purposes.
- Identify, procure, or develop test equipment, instrumentation, or facilities for characterization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications.
- Develop or validate product-specific test protocols, acceptance thresholds, or inspection tools for quality control testing or performance measurement.
- Oversee operation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication or assembly equipment, such as handling, singulation, assembly, wire-bonding, soldering, or package sealing.
- Consider environmental issues when proposing product designs involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
- Design or develop industrial air quality microsystems, such as carbon dioxide fixing devices.
- Design or develop sensors to reduce the energy or resource requirements to operate appliances, such as washing machines or dishwashing machines.
- Design sensors or switches that require little or no power to operate for environmental monitoring or industrial metering applications.
- Research or develop emerging microelectromechanical (MEMS) systems to convert nontraditional energy sources into power, such as ambient energy harvesters that convert environmental vibrations into usable energy.
- Design or develop energy products using nanomaterials or nanoprocesses, such as micro-nano machining.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
94%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
93%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
92%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
87%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
86%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
86%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
85%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
84%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
80%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
79%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
73%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
69%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
67%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
62%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
58%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
57%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
57%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
55%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
52%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
48%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
47%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
46%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
44%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
40%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
40%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
39%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
37%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
36%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
35%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
35%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
31%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
31%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
28%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
28%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
27%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
27%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
25%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
24%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
24%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
23%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
19%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
19%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
18%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
17%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
15%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
13%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
12%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
12%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
12%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
10%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
9%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
9%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
9%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
6%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
6%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
6%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
3%
Education
Master's degree
Bachelor's degree
Doctoral degree
Interests
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Work Styles
Work Values
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