How To Become A Metallurgist

Metallurgy is defined as the technology of alloys and metals. The people who specialize in this field are referred to as Metallurgists. They study the properties of metals and alloys and develop practical applications based on their properties. Metallurgists have a vital role in creating components, from precision parts to huge engineered pieces used in our daily lives. Hence, the demand for metallurgists is quite high. However, it is important to note that the competition in the field of metallurgical engineering is quite fierce as it is a popular engineering branch.

Keep reading this article if you are fascinated by different metals and alloys, and on the lookout for a detailed guide that will help you understand this career field.

Courses	Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) and Master of Technology (M.Tech) with specialization in Metallurgy
Course Duration	B.Tech – 4 years, M.Tech/MS- 2 years
Subjects Required	PCB or PCM combination in 10+2
Average Salary	INR 4 – 7 Lakhs (Entry Level)
Popular Job Profiles	Metallurgist (Physical, Chemical or Process), Welding Engineer, Researcher, Metallurgy Laboratory Technician, Quality Assurance Manager

Who is a Metallurgist?

Metallurgists specialize in extracting, processing, and casting different metals from their ores and employ alloys for various applications. They also help research and develop different test processes that help improve the metal extraction procedure.

They work with a range of metals and are generally employed by the industries that deal with metal and alloys. Some metallurgists work in development and research while others design and manufacture.

Key Responsibilities of Metallurgist

There are three areas in which a metallurgist can specialize. Their exact role differs accordingly.

• Chemical Metallurgist: Develop processes through which a metal can be extracted from its ore.
• Physical Metallurgist: Studies how a metal acts in different conditions.
• Process Metallurgist: Helps in designing metal parts.

Apart from the basic duties mentioned above, some other responsibilities that a metallurgist has to shoulder are –

• Work with the clients to determine the designs they want.
• Create component designs.
• Provide advice regarding the suitability of the metals and alloys for different applications.
• Suggest recommendations to boost the feasibility of the products.
• Develop techniques to determine the composition of the metal products and test for corrosion.
• Ensure manufacturing adheres to the guidelines and oversee quality control checks. 

Also Read: Best Engineering Courses For Future

Skills Required to Become a Metallurgist

Metallurgists generally rely on proficiency in their subject. However, there are certain skill sets that a metallurgist needs to possess to become successful in their career

• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Great teamwork skills as metallurgists often need to work alongside other engineers and staff members to complete daily responsibilities.
• Metallurgists often take up leadership roles when they lead a group to develop different processes. Therefore, metallurgists need to possess good leadership skills.
• Metallurgists should possess quick problem-solving, strong analytical and creative thinking skills.
• Should have basic computer and business skills.

How to Become a Metallurgist: Step-by-Step Guide

Mentioned down below is a step-by-step guide on how to become a metallurgist

1. Complete a bachelor’s degree. The relevant degrees include Bachelors in Science or Bachelors of Engineering, majoring in Metallurgy, Chemical Engineering or Materials Science.
2. Pursue postgraduate studies. Masters of Science or Master of Engineering are the relevant degrees that recruits look for in their potential candidates.
3. Gain professional experience by enrolling yourself in internships offered by different organizations or participating in relevant workshops.
4. Now that you have developed the preferred skill set and gained the relevant work experience, apply for the position of metallurgist in your desired companies.

Also Read: How to Become an Engineer?

Popular Courses

You can pursue BTech and MTech courses to pursue a career as a Metallurgist. Some of the popular specializations include:

• Physical Metallurgy
• Mechanical Metallurgy
• Extractive Metallurgy
• Welding Metallurgy
• Chemical metallurgy
• Corrosion Metallurgy

Eligibility Criteria

For B.Tech

• Needs to qualify 10+2 with compulsory science subjects (PCB/PCM).
• Needs to have a minimum aggregate of 55%.
• Having a Diploma in Metallurgical Engineering can also qualify for B.Tech through Lateral Entry.

For M.Tech/MS

• Should have a BE or BTech degree.
• Must possess a minimum percentage of 50% or its equivalent CGPA

Apart from the above-mentioned criteria, you also need to qualify for the national or state level entrance exams like GATE, JEE Main, MH CET, and WBJEE or entrance exams conducted by the institution bodies you wish to enrol yourself in.

To enrol in universities in the USA or Canada, you have to take the GRE. Also, results of the IELTS and TOEFL exams are compulsory.

Top Universities Abroad

Some of the top universities abroad to pursue courses in metallurgy include –

QS World Ranking	Name of University
#1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
#3	University of Cambridge, United Kingdoms
#8	ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland
#11	National University of Singapore, Singapore
#23	The University of Tokyo, Japan
#26	University of Toronto, Canada
#17	Tsinghua University, China

Top Colleges in India

Here are some of the top colleges in India to pursue a degree in Metallurgy with their NIRF ranking –

NIRF Ranking	Name of College
#1	IIT Madras
#3	IIT Bombay
#5	IIT Kharagpur
#6	IIT Roorkee
#8	IIT Hyderabad
#9	NIT Trichy
#13	IIT Indore

Scope of  Metallurgist in India & Abroad

Metals play a fundamental role in our everyday life. Therefore, the scope of metallurgists in both India and abroad is quite wide. Aspirants after completing their Metallurgy Engineering degree can work in various MNC companies. The field of metallurgy is extremely diverse and there are numerous employment opportunities available for Metallurgists.

Job Profiles & Salary

The salary of a metallurgist depends upon his/her job profile, the industry working in, and the experience he/she has gathered.

An entry-level metallurgist may earn between INR 4-7 LPA whereas an experienced metallurgist may even earn above INR 15 LPA.

As mentioned earlier, depending upon the job profile, the salary may vary as well, therefore according to the specialization of the metallurgist (entry-level), here are some salary ranges –

Job Profile	Average Annual Salary
Metallurgist	INR 4-7 Lakh
Quality Assurance Manager	INR 6-8 Lakhs
Metallurgical Laboratory Technician	INR 4-6 Lakhs
Researcher	INR 3.5-5 Lakhs
Welding Engineer	INR 3-5 Lakhs

Top Employment Areas

For a metallurgist, the top employment areas are

• Civil services especially the defence Forces
• Metal and metal-related material manufacturers
• Foundries
• Development and research organizations
• Metal specialist and utilities consultants

Famous Metallurgist

Some of the eminent personalities in the field of metallurgy one should know about are

• Albert Portevin (France) – Outstanding researcher in most areas of metallurgy.
• Srikumar Banerjee (India) – Contributed extensively to the research of titanium and zirconium-based alloy.
• Harry Bhadeshia (UK/India) – Author of more than 650 published papers and books on metallurgy.
• Edgar Bain (USA) – Pioneered the use of X-rays to study the crystal structure of steel and also contributed to steel heat treatment.
• Boris Paton (Russia) – Developed a new area in metallurgy known as electroslag remelting. 

Also Read: What Next After BTech

FAQs

Hopefully, our article was able to shed some light on the career of a metallurgist. For more educational inquiries, visit the Leverage Edu website to get an expert opinion on various universities and courses.