# Nanosystems Engineers

> Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.

- **SOC code:** 17-2199.09
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-2199-09
- **Also known as:** Process Development Engineer, Research Engineer, Durability Engineer, Nanoelectronics Engineer, Nanofabrication Engineer, Nanofabrication Research Engineer, Nanoindentation Applications Engineer, Nanomaterials Research Scientist
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems.
- Supervise technologists or technicians engaged in nanotechnology research or production.
- Conduct research related to a range of nanotechnology topics, such as packaging, heat transfer, fluorescence detection, nanoparticle dispersion, hybrid systems, liquid systems, nanocomposites, nanofabrication, optoelectronics, or nanolithography.
- Synthesize, process, or characterize nanomaterials, using advanced tools or techniques.
- Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
- Design or conduct tests of new nanotechnology products, processes, or systems.
- Create designs or prototypes for nanosystem applications, such as biomedical delivery systems or atomic force microscopes.
- Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.
- Generate high-resolution images or measure force-distance curves, using techniques such as atomic force microscopy.
- Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.
- Develop processes or identify equipment needed for pilot or commercial nanoscale scale production.
- Engineer production processes for specific nanotechnology applications, such as electroplating, nanofabrication, or epoxy.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Engineering and Technology _(knowledge)_
- Physics _(knowledge)_
- Chemistry _(knowledge)_
- Mathematics _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Speaking _(essential_skill)_
- Science _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Physics _(Specialized Skill)_
- Chemistry _(Specialized Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Active Learning _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Apache Hadoop _(hot technology)_
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology)_
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks _(hot technology)_
- Linux _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Project _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Visio _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Windows _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Oracle Database _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 73rd percentile (High) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 67th percentile (High) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 79th percentile (High) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 71st percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 9th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 2.1% growth (About average); 9.3k annual openings; 158.8k → 162.1k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $117,750; 150,750 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 22% automation, 63% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 4.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** task iteration.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations. _(1.9% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems. _(1.8% of measured AI use; learning)_
- Write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies. _(0.7% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use. _(0.4% of measured AI use; learning)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me prepare reports, deliver presentations, or participate in program review activities to communicate engineering results or recommendations.
- Help me provide scientific or technical guidance or expertise to scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians, or others, using knowledge of chemical, analytical, or biological processes as applied to micro and nanoscale systems.
- Help me write proposals to secure external funding or to partner with other companies.
- Help me provide technical guidance or support to customers on topics such as nanosystem start-up, maintenance, or use.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-2199-09_