Occupation · SOC 17-2199.06
Microsystems Engineers
Research, design, develop, or test microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.
Median wage
$117,750
$62,840–$183,510
Projected growth
+2.1%
Slower than average
Annual openings
330
per year
Employed (US)
150,750
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
920 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingWritingSystems AnalysisJudgment and Decision MakingMonitoring
Knowledge areas
Computers and ElectronicsEngineering and TechnologyMathematicsPhysicsDesign
Technology & tools
Graphics or photo imaging softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareOperating system softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareDevelopment environment software
Representative tasks
Create schematics and physical layouts of integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components or packaged assemblies consistent with process, functional, or package constraints.Investigate characteristics such as cost, performance, or process capability of potential microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device designs, using simulation or modeling software.Create or maintain formal engineering documents, such as schematics, bills of materials, components or materials specifications, or packaging requirements.Conduct analyses addressing issues such as failure, reliability, or yield improvement.Plan or schedule engineering research or development projects involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.Propose product designs involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, considering market data or customer requirements.Develop formal documentation for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, including quality assurance guidance, quality control protocols, process control checklists, data collection, or reporting.Communicate operating characteristics or performance experience to other engineers or designers for training or new product development purposes.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.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.Conduct experimental or virtual studies to investigate characteristics and processing principles of potential 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.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.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.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 energy products using nanomaterials or nanoprocesses, such as micro-nano machining.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.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
MEMS component schematics — draft initial layouts under direct supervision using CAD software, adhering to established process and package constraints in a research lab setting.Simulation and modeling software — execute pre-configured analyses of MEMS device characteristics such as cost and performance under guidance from senior engineers.Engineering documents — compile and format bills of materials and component specifications by following approved templates within a structured documentation management system.Failure analysis data — collect and organize structured datasets to support reliability and yield improvement investigations under the direction of a project lead.Research project schedules — assist in tracking milestones and resource allocations for MEMS development projects using standard project management tools.Market and customer requirement data — review and summarize inputs to inform preliminary MEMS product design proposals under senior engineer oversight.Quality assurance checklists — populate and verify process control checklists for MEMS device fabrication following established quality control protocols.Technical findings — prepare written summaries of MEMS operating characteristics and performance results for internal team review under editorial guidance.Physics and mathematics principles — apply foundational analytical methods to interpret MEMS sensor behavior within laboratory experimental contexts.CAD and design software tools — learn and apply standard microsystems design environments to complete assigned schematic tasks within supervised project workflows.
developing
Integrated MEMS component layouts — create and revise schematics and physical layouts with reduced oversight, balancing process capability and package constraints in a production-oriented design environment.MEMS device simulation models — configure and execute modeling software analyses to evaluate performance trade-offs across multiple candidate design iterations independently.Engineering documentation suites — maintain and update formal engineering records including schematics, materials specifications, and packaging requirements across the full product lifecycle.Reliability and yield analyses — conduct structured failure mode analyses and interpret statistical yield data to recommend process improvements on active fabrication lines.MEMS project planning — develop and manage detailed engineering research schedules, coordinating task dependencies and resource needs across multidisciplinary teams.MEMS product proposals — synthesize customer requirements and competitive market data into coherent design proposals for review by senior engineering leadership.Quality control protocol documentation — author and maintain comprehensive process control documentation including data collection plans and reporting formats for MEMS device qualification.Cross-functional knowledge transfer — present operating characteristics and performance experience to design and manufacturing engineers during new product introduction meetings.Systems analysis — evaluate interactions among MEMS subsystems to identify performance bottlenecks and propose corrective design adjustments in familiar device families.File versioning and configuration management — apply version control practices to maintain traceability of design files and documentation throughout iterative MEMS development cycles.
proficient
Complex MEMS schematic and layout packages — autonomously create complete integrated schematics and physical layouts for novel device architectures, resolving conflicts among process, functional, and package constraints.Advanced simulation and modeling campaigns — design and execute comprehensive multi-physics simulation studies to characterize MEMS device cost, performance, and process capability across the full design space.Authoritative engineering documentation — establish and own the complete formal documentation baseline for MEMS programs, including specifications, bills of materials, and packaging requirements supporting regulatory and customer audits.Non-routine failure and reliability investigations — lead root-cause analyses for complex MEMS failure modes, applying statistical methods and experimental design to drive sustained yield improvement.Research and development program management — plan, schedule, and adapt MEMS technology development projects across multiple concurrent workstreams, managing risk and scope changes autonomously.MEMS product design innovation — propose and champion differentiated product designs grounded in deep understanding of market dynamics, customer requirements, and emerging microsystems technology trends.Quality system development — design end-to-end quality assurance frameworks for MEMS devices, integrating process control, data collection, and reporting systems aligned with industry standards.Engineering knowledge dissemination — deliver structured technical training on MEMS operating characteristics and performance experience to cross-functional engineering teams and external collaborators.Systems evaluation and optimization — assess full MEMS system performance against functional requirements, applying inductive and deductive reasoning to diagnose systemic issues and guide redesign decisions.Emerging technology integration — evaluate and incorporate advanced fabrication processes, materials, and analytical software tools into existing MEMS development workflows to expand organizational capability.
advanced
MEMS technology strategy — define the multi-year technical roadmap for microsystems design and fabrication capability, aligning organizational investments with market opportunities and competitive positioning.Organizational design standards — establish enterprise-wide schematic, layout, and documentation standards for MEMS programs, ensuring consistency and compliance across all product lines and facilities.Innovation culture leadership — cultivate a research environment that encourages novel MEMS device concepts, guiding teams from exploratory simulation through validated prototype to production readiness.Cross-enterprise reliability governance — lead organization-level failure analysis and reliability improvement initiatives for MEMS portfolios, setting quality targets and accountability structures across business units.Executive program oversight — sponsor and govern large-scale MEMS research and development programs, making high-stakes scheduling and resource decisions that shape organizational technical direction.Strategic product portfolio development — direct MEMS product strategy by integrating deep customer insight, market intelligence, and technology foresight into executive-level product investment decisions.Quality and regulatory leadership — architect enterprise quality management systems for MEMS devices, engaging with regulatory bodies and major customers to define acceptance standards and certification pathways.Thought leadership and external representation — represent the organization's MEMS expertise at industry conferences, standards bodies, and with government research sponsors, shaping the broader field.Talent development and succession — design competency development pathways and mentoring structures that build the next generation of senior MEMS engineers across the organization.Technology partnership and ecosystem development — forge strategic alliances with research institutions, foundries, and supply chain partners to extend the organization's microsystems design and manufacturing capabilities.
Also known as
83 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Applications EngineerArrhythmia EngineerControl Systems EngineerDesign EngineerDevelopmental Engineer (Air Force 62E4)Developmental Engineer (Air Force 62EX)Developmental Engineer, ABM (Air Force 62E1N)Developmental Engineer, ABM (Air Force 62E3N)Developmental Engineer, ABM (Air Force 62E4N)Developmental Engineer, Aeronautical (Air Force 62E1A)Developmental Engineer, Aeronautical (Air Force 62E3A)Developmental Engineer, Aeronautical (Air Force 62EXA)Developmental Engineer, Airlift (Air Force 62E1T)Developmental Engineer, Airlift (Air Force 62E3T)Developmental Engineer, Airlift (Air Force 62E4T)Developmental Engineer, Astronautical (Air Force 62E1B)Developmental Engineer, Astronautical (Air Force 62E3B)Developmental Engineer, Astronautical (Air Force 62EXB)Developmental Engineer, Bomber (Air Force 62E1R)Developmental Engineer, Bomber (Air Force 62E3R)Developmental Engineer, Bomber (Air Force 62E4R)Developmental Engineer, C2ISREW (Air Force 62E1Z)Developmental Engineer, C2ISREW (Air Force 62E3Z)Developmental Engineer, C2ISREW (Air Force 62E4Z)Developmental Engineer, Computer Systems (Air Force 62E1C)Developmental Engineer, Computer Systems (Air Force 62E3C)Developmental Engineer, Electrical/Electronic (Air Force 62E1E)Developmental Engineer, Electrical/Electronic (Air Force 62E3E)Developmental Engineer, Electrical/Electronic (Air Force 62EXE)Developmental Engineer, Fighter (Air Force 62E1P)Developmental Engineer, Fighter (Air Force 62E3P)Developmental Engineer, Fighter (Air Force 62E4P)Developmental Engineer, Flight Test (Air Force 62E1F)Developmental Engineer, Flight Test (Air Force 62E3F)Developmental Engineer, Flight Test (Air Force 62EXF)Developmental Engineer, General (Air Force 62E1W)Developmental Engineer, General (Air Force 62E3W)Developmental Engineer, General (Air Force 62E4W)Developmental Engineer, Helicopter or EWO (Air Force 62E1V)Developmental Engineer, Helicopter or EWO (Air Force 62E3V)