I've heard a lot of negativity about chemical engineers. Do chemical engineers like their jobs/careers ?

Question

I am a potenial graduate of a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.

Do they like their jobs in the beginning? The long haul (10+, 20+ years)?

Why do they like their jobs?

Is it a good field to go into? Why?

Answer 1

I graduated from Iowa State University in 1989 with a degree in ChemE with an emphasis in Biochemical Engineering. At that time my specialty was ahead of the demand and I was not at the top of my class so I took the first job offer.

I work for Cooper Tire and Rubber Company at the plant level. I have done everything from polymer formulation to process engineering. Currently I am the Curing Chemist for the Plant, responsible for all technical aspects of curing a tire. The majority of my time is spent determining the optimum time a new tire needs to be cured. I would have to say the first few years I was not happy with the job because the Production People blame you for every problem they have with the rubber compounds you are responsible for. There was also the atmosphere that we have done things this way for years and they did not want to do it the proper way. This has changed considerably since the old timers are gone.

I have been doing the Curing area for the last 8 years so I can get by telling them what they can get by with and what is set in stone. I enjoy my job now and I save the company more then 2 million dollars a year doing this work. This gives you a feeling of pride that you are accomplishing something big. Unforchantly this does not translate into more pay.

I feel like no mater where you work you are going to have the same problems. This is one reason that I never looked for a new job when I was unhappy with my work. I have a friend who works for petroleum companies and he has jumped from job to job to get better pay.

The best advice I can give you is to try finding a job that interests you and after 2 years of experience you can jump to other types of industries. After 5 years you are locked into one industry and will have a hard time moving out of it. The good thing about being a ChemE is that when you look for your first job you have more options on what industry will hire you. I interviewed for every thing from the Insurance industry doing inspections of plants to the petroleum refineries.

You are a professional so there is a lot of stress involved in your job. I have peoples lives in my hands because if I get something wrong people can die and at peak production I'm responsible for more than 30,000 tires a day that are going on peoples cars. You always have to consider what would a Lawyer say about everything you do.

I hope this helps you. It is a good major and I do not regret majoring in it.

Answer 2

For you it will be great. Once you enter the job market, there will be approximately 4 female chemical engineers in the world today.

But seriously, my father-in-law is a Chemical Engineer, and he has really enjoyed it, and he hooked up with a great company that he is succeeding in (DuPont).

As far as why he likes his job, well, he's a Chemical Engineer. As you probably know, engineer-type personalities are of a unique breed, and if they are working in their field, they are probably happy.

Financially, he's done pretty good for himself; being where he's at, he's had to deal with a couple of transfers, but they have not been lateral moves. There seems to be a steady demand for them, too.

Answer 3

Absolutely. I've loved it.

The nice thing about Chemical Engineering is that it is easily the broadest engineering education, and you will clearly stand out amongst your engineering peers. You can do almost anything you want, as there is no engineering field except Civil that you are not qualified for.

I spent about 8 years in the field before moving on to Law - but I'm really still in engineering.

Answer 4

I am a EE but work with a lot of ChemE's and Chemists.

Yes -- it is actually a pretty good job as far as engineering goes. You can work anything from bio-tech to semiconductors to the oil and gas industries. The pay for good engineers is on the higher side of the engineering scale. A good ChemE at the staff level can make upwards of $120K and up.

Answer 5

Im gonna be a chemical engineer. I hope its not bad. Im trying to become a nuclear biological chemical engineer!! Good Luck!


Plus any job is good, when you make 1000 dollars and hour :)!