The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) does not provide an employment outlook for microfabrication technicians, but it does predict that electromechanical technicians will have a 1 percent decline in employment through 2033. These technicians have similar responsibilities to those of microfabrication technicians. Increasing automation in manufacturing could negatively and positively affect technicians. According to the DOL, "while automation may replace certain responsibilities, electromechanical and mechatronics technicians will still be needed to operate and maintain robotic equipment."
The pandemic disrupted most industries in 2020 and early 2021, causing lockdowns, budget cuts, layoffs, and an economic slowdown. Many engineering professionals, including technicians, had been deemed essential workers, however, and continued to work throughout the pandemic. Employment growth for microfabrication technicians was slow into 2021, but the economy has since recovered and there continue to be job opportunities for technicians.
According to MEMS Industry Group, the “future of MEMS is rich with commercial possibilities, including the trillions of MEMS sensors envisioned to be used as the eyes and ears of the Internet of Things; the future of MEMS also includes local MEMS-based environmental monitoring devices; deployments in the MEMS-enabled quantified self movement and in personalized medicine applications; MEMS-containing wearables; and MEMS-reliant drones and other small personal robots.”
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineers
- Advanced Manufacturing Technicians
- Biochemists
- Biomedical Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Chemists
- Drug Developers
- Electronics Engineering Technicians
- Engineering Technicians
- Futurists
- Materials Engineers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Microbiologists
- Microfabrication Engineers
- Nanomaterials Scientists
- Nanosystems Engineers
- Nanotechnicians
- Nanotechnologists
- Robotics Engineers
- Robotics Technicians
- Semiconductor Technicians