Microsystems Engineers
Also called Process Engineer, Product Design Engineer, Project Engineer, or Radio Frequency Design Engineer (RF Design Engineer)
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Microsystems Engineers do
You design machines smaller than a grain of sand, like the motion sensor that knows when you turn your phone sideways.
Microsystems engineers work on MEMS, short for microelectromechanical systems. These are tiny moving machines built onto silicon chips: sensors that feel motion, pressure, or sound, and switches thinner than a hair. You research, design, develop, and test them.
Most of the work happens at a computer. You draw schematics (wiring and layout diagrams) and run simulation software to predict how a design will behave, what it will cost, and whether a factory can actually build it. You dig into why parts fail, how long they last, and how many come out usable. You also write a lot: specifications, parts lists, packaging requirements, and quality checklists other people will follow. Plans and schedules for projects often land on your desk too.
A day in the life
You start indoors at a desk in a climate-controlled office, clearing email and checking simulation results that ran overnight. A design has been failing sooner than expected, so you dig into the test data to find the cause. Mid-morning you sit with other engineers and designers, sketching a layout on a screen and arguing through trade-offs between size, cost, and performance. After lunch you write. Specifications, a parts list, a quality control checklist for the people who will build the device. Someone from the product side stops by with what a customer wants, and you think out loud about whether it is possible. Late in the day you update the project schedule and note what the team needs to decide next.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like taking things apart in your head to understand how they work
- ✓Enjoy math and physics enough to use them as everyday tools
- ✓Take pride in careful documentation and accurate records
- ✓Can explain a technical idea clearly to people who did not design it
- ✓Are patient with problems that take weeks of testing to solve
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to be on your feet and outdoors instead of at a screen indoors
- –Dislike writing reports, specifications, and checklists
- –Get frustrated when a design fails repeatedly before it works
- –Would rather skip the years of engineering coursework in math and physics
How people get in
- 1Take all the math, physics, and computer courses you can in high school, and get comfortable with building or tinkering projects
- 2Earn a bachelor's degree, the typical entry education here, in a field like electrical and computer engineering, systems engineering, mechatronics and robotics, or general engineering
- 3Learn the software side: circuit and layout tools, simulation and modeling programs, and basic programming
- 4Get hands-on experience through an internship or a co-op (a longer paid work placement that is part of your degree), or through a university research lab that works on chips, sensors, or tiny devices
- 5Apply for entry-level engineering roles, and keep in mind that this career also goes by names like process engineer, product design engineer, or project engineer, so look for those in job listings
- 6Consider graduate study later if you want to go deeper into research and how these tiny devices actually work
Who tends to enjoy it
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Official task list
Microsystems Engineers research, design, develop, or test microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. (O*NET)
- 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.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Systems Analysis
What you'll need to know
- Computers and Electronics
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Design
How much Microsystems Engineers make
The median pay for Microsystems Engineers in the U.S. is $122,930 a year ($59.10 an hour). Most earn between $66,810 and $189,950. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in New Mexico ($162,070) and lowest in Kansas ($76,100).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $152,550 | 3,460 |
| Alaska | $142,390 | 200 |
| Arizona | $102,280 | 1,720 |
| Arkansas | $76,940 | 820 |
| California | $130,850 | 28,610 |
| Colorado | $132,590 | 2,540 |
| Connecticut | $124,110 | 2,430 |
| Delaware | $103,580 | — |
| District of Columbia | $151,920 | 3,560 |
| Florida | $105,410 | 8,600 |
| Georgia | $112,260 | 4,120 |
| Guam | $100,010 | 80 |
| Hawaii | $122,800 | 1,100 |
| Idaho | $130,970 | 560 |
| Illinois | $111,930 | 2,520 |
| Indiana | $120,880 | 1,540 |
| Iowa | $103,090 | 1,100 |
| Kansas | $76,100 | 780 |
| Kentucky | $99,830 | 500 |
| Louisiana | $99,070 | 6,310 |
| Maine | $120,430 | 590 |
| Maryland | $129,770 | 7,340 |
| Massachusetts | $131,260 | 2,850 |
| Michigan | $121,000 | 7,700 |
| Minnesota | $108,850 | 1,290 |
| Mississippi | $111,030 | 480 |
| Missouri | $102,980 | 1,850 |
| Montana | $97,470 | 240 |
| Nebraska | $88,490 | 300 |
| Nevada | $103,780 | 870 |
| New Hampshire | $128,130 | 610 |
| New Jersey | $132,450 | 4,540 |
| New Mexico | $162,070 | 2,190 |
| New York | $117,600 | 5,760 |
| North Carolina | $112,450 | 4,270 |
| North Dakota | $100,250 | 220 |
| Ohio | $120,470 | 7,000 |
| Oklahoma | $119,810 | 860 |
| Oregon | $123,220 | 2,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $108,950 | 3,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,370 | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $117,080 | 380 |
| South Carolina | $110,490 | 1,280 |
| South Dakota | $112,260 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $96,640 | 4,400 |
| Texas | $115,810 | 10,820 |
| Utah | $110,320 | 1,750 |
| Vermont | $126,550 | 390 |
| Virginia | $148,160 | 5,060 |
| Washington | $134,570 | 3,580 |
| West Virginia | $118,800 | 660 |
| Wisconsin | $110,360 | 690 |
| Wyoming | $113,050 | 110 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Engineering 544 colleges
- Systems Engineering 119 colleges
- Engineering, Other 149 colleges
- Electrical and Computer Engineering 45 colleges
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering 110 colleges
- Construction Engineering 56 colleges
- Engineering Science 100 colleges
- Architectural Engineering 30 colleges
Related careers
Architecture and Engineering
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
Research, design, develop, or test electronic components and systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use employing knowledge of electronic theory and materials properties. Design electronic circuits and components for use in fields such as telecommunications, aerospace guidance and propulsion control, acoustics, or instruments and controls.
$130,220/yr median Considerable preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Photonics Engineers
Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.
$122,930/yr median Considerable preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Mechatronics Engineers
Research, design, develop, or test automation, intelligent systems, smart devices, or industrial systems control.
$122,930/yr median Considerable preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Nanosystems Engineers
Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.
$122,930/yr median Extensive preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists
Design and implement radio frequency identification device (RFID) systems used to track shipments or goods.
$130,220/yr median Considerable preparation
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Materials Scientists
Research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and synthetic or composite materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and glass. Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications. Includes glass scientists, ceramic scientists, metallurgical scientists, and polymer scientists.
$117,790/yr median Considerable preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Robotics Engineers
Research, design, develop, or test robotic applications.
$122,930/yr median Considerable preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Manufacturing Engineers
Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.
$102,440/yr median Considerable preparation
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 17-2199.06, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 17-2199. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.