Molecular Engineering

What You'll Do in a Molecular Engineering Career

Imagine a tiny device that pilots through the body and identifies and blots out small clusters of cancer cells before they can spread. What if the entire Library of Congress could be contained in a box the size of a sugar cube?
According to the U.S. National Science Foundation, these types of extraordinary accomplishments are fast becoming a part of our reality. Welcome to the world of molecular engineering—sometimes called nanotechnology or molecular manufacturing—which involves the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. With a degree in molecular engineering or a related field such as bio-molecular engineering, you’ll be part of a futuristic scenario that has the capacity to drastically improve the quality of people’s lives.

 

Molecular Engineering Job Opportunities

Molecular engineers work in virtually every industry, including pharmaceutical research, materials science, robotics, mechanical engineering and biotechnology.  Because molecular engineering is considered a “general-purpose technology,” it has the potential to impact almost all industries and areas of society. Molecular engineering will create durable, smart products for the medical, transportation and agriculture industries, opening doors to careers in these, and other, in-demand fields.

The Future of Molecular Engineering

The future of molecular engineering is limitless, and career prospects are promising. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities are excellent in certain related fields, such as biomedical engineering. However there is significant debate on the implications of nanotechnology because it raises the same issues as any new technology: what is its impact upon the environment, and what are the prospects for global disaster?

 

Molecular Engineering Degree Programs

Colleges and universities across the U.S. offer degree programs in related fields of engineering, such as chemical engineering, environmental and bio-molecular engineering at the bachelor’s, masters and doctoral level. Because it is an emerging field, degree programs focusing entirely on molecular engineering are often considered special track programs and are only offered in tandem with other engineering degree programs. Doctoral-level students can enter the molecular engineering career path by earning a PhD in Molecular Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, or Energy and Chemical Engineering.
K. Eric Drexler, PhD, a researcher and author whose work focuses on advanced nanotechnologies, advises students interested in entering the field to broaden their studies to include fundamental courses in mathematics, mechanics, chemistry, thermodynamics and electromagnetics in order to fully
thrive in a career in molecular engineering.

Online Degree Options for Molecular Engineers

Online degree programs in molecular engineering are most often available under a bio-molecular engineering or chemical engineering program. Online Bachelor of Science degrees in chemical engineering are readily available, as are online programs in molecular biology, which include bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral-level courses.

 

Molecular Engineer Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2009 report states that engineers in related careers, such as chemical engineering, earn between $53,730 and $130,240 annually. The employment site SimplyHired.com estimates that the average salary for a molecular engineer rests at $70,000 per year while NanotechBuzz records an annual estimate of $97,978 for nanotechnologists working in the U.S.