Career profile · 17-3026
Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Implement production processes and operate commercial-scale production equipment to produce, test, 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.
What the work can involve
- 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.
- Maintain accurate record or batch-record documentation of nanoproduction.
- Calibrate nanotechnology equipment, such as weighing, testing, or production equipment.
- Maintain work area according to cleanroom or other processing standards.
- Repair nanotechnology processing or testing equipment or submit work orders for equipment repair.
- Assist nanoscientists or engineers in processing or characterizing materials according to physical or chemical properties.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Listening
- Science
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Working with Computers
- Getting Information
- Training and Teaching Others
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Documenting/Recording Information
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 50.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 40.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 95.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Every day | 35.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Sitting | More than half the time | 45.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 50.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Less than half the time | 40.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Time Pressure | Once a month or more but not every week | 55.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 60.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 80.0%08/2025 · sample 20 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: Image analysis software, SPMLab, Simulation software
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Optical imaging systems
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for nanotechnology engineering technologists and technicians
This O*NET specialty shares the BLS 17-3026 occupation series. Pay is measured for Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians, not separately for this specialty.
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 46 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,510 | $31.97 | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $66,040 | $31.75 | 2,080 |
| Arkansas | $62,210 | $29.91 | 330 |
| California | $79,070 | $38.02 | 5,710 |
| Colorado | $66,850 | $32.14 | 930 |
| Connecticut | $69,260 | $33.30 | 670 |
| Florida | $61,350 | $29.49 | 3,110 |
| Georgia | $65,060 | $31.28 | 1,840 |
| Idaho | $63,150 | $30.36 | 300 |
| Illinois | $71,090 | $34.18 | 2,260 |
| Indiana | $63,110 | $30.34 | 2,560 |
| Iowa | $64,410 | $30.97 | 710 |
| Kansas | $61,000 | $29.33 | 570 |
| Kentucky | $61,140 | $29.40 | 1,330 |
| Louisiana | Not published | Not published | 820 |
| Maine | $63,070 | $30.32 | 310 |
| Maryland | $79,090 | $38.03 | 490 |
| Massachusetts | $71,830 | $34.53 | 2,070 |
| Michigan | $64,510 | $31.01 | 5,410 |
| Minnesota | $70,490 | $33.89 | 5,380 |
| Mississippi | $50,180 | $24.13 | Not published |
| Missouri | $62,440 | $30.02 | 1,220 |
| Montana | $60,330 | $29.01 | 90 |
| Nebraska | $59,970 | $28.83 | 240 |
| Nevada | $61,470 | $29.55 | 990 |
| New Hampshire | $69,650 | $33.48 | 620 |
| New Jersey | $72,890 | $35.04 | 920 |
| New Mexico | $61,280 | $29.46 | 480 |
| New York | $70,290 | $33.80 | 4,090 |
| North Carolina | $69,720 | $33.52 | 1,940 |
| North Dakota | $64,060 | $30.80 | 100 |
| Ohio | $65,490 | $31.49 | 5,340 |
| Oklahoma | $79,330 | $38.14 | 750 |
| Oregon | $75,760 | $36.42 | 910 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,260 | $31.38 | 1,790 |
| Rhode Island | $59,420 | $28.57 | 170 |
| South Carolina | $70,080 | $33.69 | 2,400 |
| South Dakota | $54,570 | $26.24 | 310 |
| Tennessee | $58,070 | $27.92 | 2,650 |
| Texas | $62,020 | $29.82 | 5,060 |
| Utah | $67,490 | $32.45 | 1,400 |
| Vermont | $72,410 | $34.81 | 110 |
| Virginia | $66,310 | $31.88 | 1,270 |
| Washington | $78,430 | $37.71 | 1,050 |
| West Virginia | $57,240 | $27.52 | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $65,270 | $31.38 | 2,660 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 286 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians→
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists→
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 17-3026.01.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.