Microsystems Engineers: Job Description
Research, design, develop, or test microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.
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What Tasks Do Microsystems Engineers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of microsystems engineers span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful microsystems engineers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Microsystems Engineers Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Applications Engineer
- Arrhythmia Engineer
- Control Systems Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Device Engineer
- Engineer
- GaN Device Engineer (Gallium Nitride Device Engineer)
- MEMS Device Scientist (Microelectromechanical Systems Device Scientist)
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 41,930 microsystems engineers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +1.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Microsystems Engineers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $104,558 |
| Hourly median | $50.27 |
| 10th percentile | $66,702 |
| 25th percentile | $85,630 |
| 75th percentile | $123,486 |
| 90th percentile | $142,414 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Microsystems Engineers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $167,270 |
| Alabama | $146,480 |
| New Mexico | $142,520 |
| Virginia | $142,110 |
| Wyoming | $139,010 |
| Maryland | $135,990 |
| Alaska | $132,410 |
| Massachusetts | $132,020 |
| New Jersey | $131,960 |
| Rhode Island | $131,830 |
| Idaho | $131,390 |
| California | $128,830 |
| Oregon | $125,920 |
| Colorado | $125,330 |
| Washington | $125,080 |
| Hawaii | $120,330 |
| Connecticut | $119,220 |
| New Hampshire | $118,630 |
| South Carolina | $117,980 |
| Minnesota | $116,660 |
| Texas | $115,950 |
| Georgia | $115,790 |
| Maine | $114,610 |
| Ohio | $113,880 |
| New York | $113,380 |
| Utah | $113,290 |
| Mississippi | $112,100 |
| Oklahoma | $111,230 |
| Vermont | $110,640 |
| Arizona | $110,160 |
| Illinois | $109,380 |
| Wisconsin | $107,400 |
| North Carolina | $106,960 |
| Indiana | $106,040 |
| Florida | $103,920 |
| Michigan | $103,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,580 |
| West Virginia | $103,400 |
| Nevada | $101,660 |
| Iowa | $100,200 |
| Tennessee | $97,990 |
| Louisiana | $95,550 |
| Missouri | $93,020 |
| Kentucky | $89,650 |
| Guam | $89,440 |
| North Dakota | $88,100 |
| Montana | $87,130 |
| Delaware | $85,530 |
| South Dakota | $82,970 |
| Nebraska | $76,910 |
| Arkansas | $75,000 |
| Kansas | $69,210 |
| Puerto Rico | $58,710 |
Where Microsystems Engineers Earn the Most
Pay for microsystems engineers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $127,455 | 22.6% | 1.41 |
| Middle Atlantic | $127,069 | 15.3% | 1.60 |
| New England | $124,655 | 4.3% | 0.92 |
| Rocky Mountains | $120,932 | 3.4% | 0.87 |
| Southwest | $117,599 | 10.1% | 0.89 |
| Southeast | $111,896 | 28.2% | 1.65 |
| Great Lakes | $108,385 | 12.1% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $95,614 | 3.6% | 0.55 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $162,610 | 7,950 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $157,770 | 3,490 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $157,330 | 1,090 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $156,140 | 5,060 |
| Charlottesville, VA | VA | $152,840 | 70 |
| Wilmington, NC | NC | $148,580 | 90 |
| Huntsville, AL | AL | $148,430 | 3,120 |
| Albuquerque, NM | NM | $143,050 | 1,080 |
Which Industries Hire Microsystems Engineers
The largest employers of microsystems engineers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 37,330 | $112,040 |
| Manufacturing | 36,850 | $107,590 |
| Wholesale Trade | 6,470 | $103,760 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 6,030 | $95,040 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 5,210 | $122,930 |
| Information | 3,800 | $159,700 |
| Construction | 3,520 | $81,570 |
| Utilities | 2,970 | $118,630 |
Below are examples of industries where microsystems engineers work:
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Bash (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C# (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- File versioning software: Git (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of microsystems engineers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Education and Training
Most microsystems engineers positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
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- Electrical Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Primary-Short)
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Manufacturing Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Mechanical Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Mechatronics Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Photonics Engineers (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring microsystems engineers typically earn programs in:
Engineering
29 programs across 24 majors
- General Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Other Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Engineering Science
- Architectural Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Biological Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Geoscience Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Ocean Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- Energy Systems Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Surveying Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Forest Engineering
- Paper Science & Engineering
- Engineering Chemistry
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
2 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 17-2199.06 (Engineers, All Other).
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