Career Overview
Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Also Known As
- Chemical Engineer
- Development Engineer
- Engineer
- Process Engineer
Alternate Job Titles
- Absorption and Adsorption Engineer
- Blending Coordinator
- Chemical Design Process Engineer
- Chemical Engineer
- Chemical Process Engineer
- Chemical Research Engineer
- Chemical Test Engineer
- Control Systems Engineer
- Controls Engineer
- Development Engineer
- Engineer
- Engineering Scientist
- Explosives Engineer
- Fuel Engineer
- Gas Combustion Engineer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
- Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
- Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Design and plan layout of equipment.
- Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
- Perform tests and monitor performance of processes throughout stages of production to determine degree of control over variables such as temperature, density, specific gravity, and pressure.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Adapt processes to convert from small-scale laboratory operations to large-scale commercial production.
- Develop process flow diagrams or pipe and instrumentation diagrams.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Design
- Physics
- Production and Processing
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Learning
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Systems Analysis
- Systems Evaluation
- Mathematics
- Operations Analysis
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Category Flexibility
- Information Ordering
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Dependability
- Innovation
- Intellectual Curiosity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Recognition
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C
- C++
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Visio
Tools & Equipment
- Agitators
- Atomic force microscopes
- Benchtop centrifuges
- Benchtop mixers
- Catalytic reactors
- Chromatographic scanning equipment
- Distillation columns
- Distillation systems
- Filtration systems
- Gas absorbers
- Heat exchangers
- Laboratory evaporaters
- Lyophilizers
- Mass spectrometers
- Mixing tanks
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $78,520 |
| Median | $121,860 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $182,150 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 20,330
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Materials Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $108,310
Manufacturing Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $101,140
Materials Scientists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $104,160
Chemists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $84,150
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $167,740
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.