21322 Metallurgical and materials engineers

What this occupation covers

Metallurgical and materials engineers conduct studies of the properties and characteristics of metals and other non-metallic materials and plan, design and develop machinery and processes to concentrate, extract, refine and process metals, alloys and other materials such as ceramics, semiconductors and composite materials. They are employed in consulting engineering firms, mining, metal processing and manufacturing companies, and in government, research and educational institutions.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 5 main duties for this code.

• Conduct studies and design, develop and specify the processes, and machinery to concentrate, extract, refine and process metals from ores
• Conduct studies on the properties and characteristics of materials and design, develop and specify processes for moulding, shaping, forming and thermal treatment of metals, alloys and metallic systems, ceramics, semiconducting and other materials
• Conduct chemical and physical analytical studies, failure analyses and other studies and recommend material selection, design of materials, corrosion control measures, operational testing and other procedures
• Coordinate production testing and control of metal refining, smelting or foundry operations or non-metallic materials production operations
• Supervise technologists, technicians and other engineers and scientists.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 5 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 21320 Chemical engineers
• 21101 Chemists
• 20010 Engineering managers
• 21109 Other professional occupations in physical sciences
• 21330 Mining engineers

Excluded from this code

• Chemical engineers (See 21320 Chemical engineers)
• Chemists (See 21101 Chemists)
• Engineering managers (See 20010 Engineering managers)
• Materials scientist (See 21109 Other professional occupations in physical sciences)
• Mining engineers (See 21330 Mining engineers)
• Physical metallurgist (See 21109 Other professional occupations in physical sciences)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

ceramics engineer · coal preparation consulting engineer · corrosion engineer · electrometallurgical engineer · extractive engineer · extractive metallurgy engineer · foundry engineer · hydrometallurgical engineer · materials engineer · metallurgical engineer · physical metallurgical engineer · pyrometallurgical engineer · refining and metalworking engineer · smelting plant engineer · welding engineer

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's degree in metallurgical, materials, ceramic or chemical engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
• A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
• Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
• Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.