Profession chemical engineer

Chemical engineers conduct research and develop, advise on and direct commercial-scale chemical processes and production of various substances and items such as crude oil, petroleum derivatives, food and drink products, medicines, or synthetic materials. They direct maintenance and repair of chemical plant and equipment and study and advise on chemical aspects of particular materials, products or processes.

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Personality Type

  • Investigative / Realistic

Related professions engineer

  • Aerospace engineer
  • Aircraft engineer
  • Automotive engineer
  • Civil engineer
  • Dredging engineer
  • Electrical engineer (professional)
  • Electronics engineer
  • Engineering department manager
  • Environmental engineer
  • Health and safety engineer
  • Hydraulics engineer
  • Industrial engineer
  • Installation or repairs department manager
  • Logistics engineer
  • Marine engineer
  • Materials engineer
  • Mechanical engineer
  • Patent agent
  • Planning engineer
  • Production engineer
  • Professional engineer, all other
  • Structural engineer
  • Technical department manager
  • Thermo engineer
  • Water protection or land reclamation engineer

Knowledge

  • Chemistry

    The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.

  • Analytical chemistry

    Instruments and methods used to separate, identify and quanitfy matter - the chemical components of natural and artificial materials and solutions.

  • Engineering principles

    The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

  • Engineering processes

    The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.

Skills

  • Apply health and safety standards

    Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

  • Adjust engineering designs

    Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

  • Forecast organisational risks

    Analyse the operations and actions of a company in order to assess their repercussions, possible risks for the company, and to develop suitable strategies to address these.

  • Test chemical samples

    Perform the testing procedures on the already prepared chemical samples, by using the necessary equipment and materials. Chemical sample testing involves operations such as pipetting or diluting schemes.

  • Perform scientific research

    Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.

  • Approve engineering design

    Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

  • Perform chemical experiments

    Perform chemical experiments with the aim of testing various products and substances in order to draw conclusions in terms of product viability and replicability.

  • Work with chemicals

    Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.

  • Assess environmental impact

    Monitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation's environmental risks while taking costs into account.

Optional knowledge and skills

basic chemicals optical engineering laboratory techniques create solutions to problems materials science ensure compliance with safety legislation thermoplastic materials conduct public presentations pharmaceutical legislation mechanical engineering types of packaging materials toxicology physics use cad software pharmaceutical industry types of plastic good manufacturing practices design optical systems semiconductors establish collaborative relations drug administration regulations pharmaceutical technology human physiology provide technical expertise write batch record documentation nanotechnology design principles advise on pollution prevention computer engineering quality standards assess the feasibility of implementing developments monitor plant production analyse production processes for improvement pharmacology quality assurance methodologies use technical drawing software analyse test data chemical preservation use mathematical tools and equipment manufacturing processes manage pharmaceutical production facilities construction types of metal test materials pharmaceutical drug development record test data electricity textile materials electrical instrumentation engineering manage chemical testing procedures evaluate pharmaceutical manufacturing process biological chemistry pharmaceutical manufacturing quality systems electrical engineering apply validation engineering mechanics pollution legislation microbiology-bacteriology industrial software use chemical analysis equipment pharmacovigilance legislation advise on waste management procedures think analytically test production input materials perform laboratory tests ensure compliance with environmental legislation intellectual property law packaging engineering software architecture models define quality standards develop material testing procedures contribute to registration of pharmaceutical products develop chemical products material mechanics develop pharmaceutical drugs biology supply chain management draft design specifications design prototypes composite materials improve chemical processes use a computer integrate new products in manufacturing examine engineering principles pharmaceutical chemistry write technical reports design pharmaceutical manufacturing systems

Common job titles

  • Scale up chemist / engineer
  • Career development program - chemical engineer
  • Process engineer (corona, ca)
  • Production engineer
  • Chemist or engineer
  • Engineering associate - process engineering
  • Quality control engineer
  • Principal engineer – chemical additives and water treatment
  • Process engineer - ga
  • Manufacturing engineer - recent graduate