Careers
The field of materials science and engineering encompasses a broad array of scientific fields and specialties, and graduates of the discipline have a correspondingly wide range of opportunities. MSE professionals build dynamic futures throughout the private and public spheres — working as engineers and researchers with multinational firms, professors at prominent academic institutions, entrepreneurs at innovative startups, or policy advisors for governmental organizations.
Thanks to their in-depth understanding of the far-ranging forces that influence and are affected by materials, MSE professionals are exceptionally well positioned for multi-phased careers. For many of those individuals, the transition from education to career begins a journey to effect positive change in the world, rather than the pursuit of a narrowly defined position or work environment. Furthermore, because MSE focuses on fundamental, natural phenomena, the discoveries that materials scientists and engineers create — and the skills they possess — never become obsolete.
A degree in materials science and engineering may lead to a career in an engineering or a technical field, to graduate school in materials science and engineering or a related field, or to work in a non-technical field such as law or finance. Here's a sampling of where Course III alumni from 2011 have gone after graduation.
- Brown University - School of Engineering
- Harvard Business School
- Harvard Kennedy School of Government
- MIT - Department of BioEngineering
- MIT - Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
- MIT - Engineering System Division
- MIT - Mechanical Engineering
- Northwestern University - Materials Science and Engineering
- University of California, Berkeley - Department of Chemical Engineering
- 24M Technologies - Scientist
- Bay Labs, Inc. - Engineer
- Bodycote Thermal Processing - Quality Engineer
- Dow Chemical Company - Senior Chemist
- EnPro Industries - Engineer
- ExxonMobil - Corrosion Engineer
- Funkitron - Level Designer
- Intel - Product Quality Engineer
- Schlumberger - Research Technician
- Stryker Orthopaedics - Materials Research Engineer
- Tiax - Associate Technologist
- Universal Display Company - Research Scientist
- Verisk Health - Business Analyst
- Viavi Solutions - Scientist
- Xtalic Corporation - Project Manager
- Citadel LLC - Investment Professional
- Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) - International Development
- Foley Hoag LLP - Patent Agent
- L.E.K. Consulting
- McKinsey and Company - Technology Consultant
- Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC - Equity Research
- The Boston Consulting Group - Management Consultant
- U.S. Navy - Naval Flight Officer
- U.S. Senate - Science and Technology Fellow
- Bain and Company - Associate Consultant
- Xi'an Jiaotong University - faculty
- EPFL - postdoc
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - postdoc
- MIT, Department of Materials Science and Engineering - postdoc
- Northwestern University - postdoc in Biomedical Engineering
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology - postdoc
- University of California, Irvine - faculty
- University of California, San Diego - faculty
MIT’s Global Education and Career Development Office guides students as they explore and prepare for careers or apply to graduate or professional schools.