Certification or Licensing
SME (previously known as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers) offers voluntary certification. Visit its Web site (https://www.sme.org) for more information.
Licensing is not generally required for most materials engineering professions, unless their work involves providing services directly to the public. However, licensing is recommended to enhance your credentials and make yourself open to more job opportunities.
In general, the licensing process for all branches of engineering results in the formal designation of Professional Engineer (PE). Requirements vary from state to state but generally it takes about four to five years to become a licensed PE. Many engineers begin the process while still in college by taking the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, a six-hour test that covers everything from electronics, chemistry, mathematics, and physics to the more advanced engineering issues.
Once a candidate has successfully passed the FE exam, the next requirement to fulfill is to acquire four years of progressive engineering experience. Some states require that materials engineers obtain experience under the supervision of a PE. Once a candidate has four years of on-the-job experience, he or she then takes another exam specific to their engineering area (each branch of engineering has its own specialized, upper-level test). Candidates who successfully complete this examination are officially referred to as Professional Engineers. Without this designation, engineers aren't allowed to refer to themselves as PEs or function in the same legal capacity as PEs. These exams are offered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (http://www.ncees.org).
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