Mastering the Art of Pre-screening: Essential Questions to Ask Smart Materials Developer

What are Smart Materials?

Smart materials, also known as intelligent or responsive materials, are designed materials that have one or more properties that can change in a controlled fashion by external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, electric or magnetic fields. They have diverse applications across multiple fields, from engineering to biomedical.

Experience with Developing Smart Materials

Digging into a candidate’s experience with developing smart materials gives interviewers an idea of their capability and comfort working with these unique properties. The complexity and maintenance of smart materials are quite diversified, which require a diverse skill set.

Most Complex Smart Materials Project

Withstanding the complex challenges in material development will give an account of problem-solving and resilience ability of the developer. These insights can provide valuable consideration on candidate’s approach towards challenges.

Comfort with Processing-Structure-Property Relationships in Materials

A material’s structure and properties are closely related, understanding the relationship is vital when designing new materials, especially smart materials. A candidate's comfort level with this concept reveals their skills in material design and development.

Experience with Photonic Materials

Photonics is an emerging field, and photonic materials are paving the way for advancements in technology like telecommunications, medicine, computing and more. Anyone with experience in this field is likely to be at the cutting-edge of smart materials.

Familiarity with Prototyping Methods for Smart Materials

Prototyping methods can drastically affect the functionality and final design of smart materials. An expert in these methods would be able to develop new and improved prototypes smoothly and efficiently.

Experience in Conducting Material Analysis

Understanding the properties and behavior of materials is essential for the development of new smart materials. A candidate who has conducted material analysis and used software for simulating material properties would be a real asset.

Familiarity with Nanomaterials or Composite Materials

Nanotechnology is playing an increasingly important role in the development of smart materials, as is the use of composite materials. Being familiar with both domains showcases the depth and breadth of a candidate’s knowledge in smart materials development.

Proficiency with CAD/CAM Software and 3D Modelling

3D modeling assisted by Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Manufacturing (CAM) software drastically improves the efficiency and precision of smart materials development. Candidates proficient in these tools have an added advantage in smart material development.

Types of Smart Materials Worked with

Smart materials are a broad category with various types, from shape memory alloys to piezoelectric materials, each having its unique characteristics and applications. Understanding candidate’s exposure to different types of smart materials is valuable for assessing their versatility.

Experience with Functional Materials and Structures for Sensing and Actuation

The majority of smart materials function through sensing or actuating based on the stimuli. Experience with these materials can denote a candidate's advanced skill set.

Experience with Advanced Material Analysis Techniques

Unlike standard materials, smart materials require advanced methods for their analysis, like Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), or Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A candidate’s proficiency in these methods is often a good indicator of their technical ability.