Description
Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests focused on inorganic materials to assist chemists and engineers with qualitative and quantitative analyses of metals, minerals, ceramics, salts, catalysts, and particulates for research and development, process optimization, quality control, and environmental compliance; perform inorganic sample preparation, operate analytical instrumentation, analyze data, and uphold rigorous safety and documentation standards.
- • Monitor inorganic product quality (metals, salts, ceramics, catalysts) to ensure compliance with specifications and regulations.
- • Set up and run inorganic analyses using ICP-OES/MS, XRF, XRD, AAS, ion chromatography, UV-Vis, SEM/EDS, titration, gravimetry, and thermal analysis (TGA/DSC).
- • Perform sample preparation for inorganic testing, including acid/microwave digestion, fusion, filtration, drying, and particle size reduction.
- • Conduct qualitative and quantitative tests on solids, liquids, and aerosols for metals and inorganic ions.
- • Compile, validate, and interpret analytical data; calculate recoveries, detection limits, and measurement uncertainty.
- • Provide technical support to chemists and engineers on inorganic methods, instrumentation, and troubleshooting.
- • Prepare reagents, calibration standards, eluents, and buffers; mix precursor solutions and slurries for inorganic synthesis.
- • Maintain, calibrate, and clean instruments and lab equipment; perform routine maintenance on acid-handling systems.
- • Document procedures and results in lab notebooks and LIMS; write technical reports, data summaries, graphs, and control charts.
- • Order, receive, and inventory inorganic reagents, compressed gases, reference materials, and consumables.
- • Develop and execute sampling plans for ores, powders, process solutions, wastewaters, air particulates, and catalysts.
- • Support pilot and production operations for inorganic materials; monitor process parameters and in-process quality tests.
- • Operate bench- and pilot-scale equipment such as reactors, furnaces/kilns, filters, centrifuges, precipitators, and crystallizers.
- • Assist in developing and optimizing inorganic processes (e.g., precipitation, sol-gel, ion exchange, calcination, coating, corrosion inhibition).
- • Design or assemble fixtures and experimental setups, including corrosion/electrochemical cells and custom sample holders.
- • Promote laboratory safety by enforcing protocols for acids, bases, oxidizers, heavy metals, and compressed gases; conduct audits and manage waste.
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Advanced Manufacturing
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
