What are the day to day tasks of a chemical engineer like?

Question

Is it alot of cubicle work? What are the hours like? I heard that Chemical Engineering is a great field but it's hard to move up after a certain point, is this true?

Answer 1

The day-to-day tasks of a chemical engineer vary depending on type of job. (This is from a chemical engineer, 10-yr experience).

Operations Engineer: Responsible for day-to-day operations of a chemical plant, maintaining equipment, optimization of current plant. In a job like this, you will spend more than 75% of your day out in the plant, talking with operators, interacting with the process. The other <25%, you will spend running calculations, filling out safety forms, etc. Hours can be demanding.

Process Engineers: 10-20% in the plant, other 80% running calculations, designing equipment. This is the "cubicle" work you speak of. Very theory driven, and connecting of the real world with theory. This can be a 9-5 job, or a very demanding job, depending on the project.

Sales Engineers: Always in the field, talking with clients, Schmoozing! In charge of supporting a chemical or product, getting in-depth knowledge with it, and selling it.

Then there are various other engineering positions that are somewhere in the middle of the operations and process engineer.

Many chemical engineering positions are working for medium to large corporations (all the small ones are getting gobbled up by the larger ones). They may be at small sites, where there are 10 people, or larger ones where there are 1000+ people.

Moving up depends on your career track: do you want to be a "theorist" chemical engineer or manager. You can be a pure chemical engineer, always working on your profession, and progress very slowly up a chain. The advantage here is that competition is not difficult. Most chemical engineers pursue a "managerial" role that has very little to do about chemical engineering and more to do with managing people. This is a quicker career path, but is more cut-throat. If you are not a "chosen"-one within your company, it will be difficult to move up. In the US, job-hoppping is becoming more popular in this profession if you are not able to move up.

Enjoy!

Answer 2

From the Occupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry to solve problems involving the production or use of chemicals and biochemicals. They design equipment and processes for large-scale chemical manufacturing, plan and test methods of manufacturing products and treating byproducts, and supervise production. Chemical engineers also work in a variety of manufacturing industries other than chemical manufacturing, such as those producing energy, electronics, food, clothing, and paper. They also work in healthcare, biotechnology, and business services. Chemical engineers apply principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Some may specialize in a particular chemical process, such as oxidation or polymerization. Others specialize in a particular field, such as materials science, or in the development of specific products. They must be aware of all aspects of chemicals manufacturing and how the manufacturing process affects the environment and the safety of workers and consumers.

you can check the following professional associations for more specific information:

American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 3 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5991. Internet: http://www.aiche.org

American Chemical Society, Department of Career Services, 1155 16th St. NW., Washington, DC 20036. Internet: http://www.chemistry.org/portal/Chemistry

Answer 3

i replaced into as quickly as an aspiring mechanical engineer, yet switched my important to shape engineering (area of the civil engineering dept at maximum colleges). My day is spent getting crews prepared, making plans their day's paintings, analyzing drawings, ensuring high quality and protection compliance, and making particular our paintings isn't aggravating people living and working around our jobsite. it is so plenty extra communique and persons orientated than maximum different engineering jobs, that's why i like it.

Answer 4

I know a few Chemical Engineers, we all make fun of them, but that;s because we're out in the oilfield. Chemical engineers in the Oilfield do well, I work for one, work with a few, and have a few working under me. 100k-200k per year, for MWD Engineers, Petroleum, and Directional Drillers.

Answer 5

It doesn't seem to pay well. Where I work, IT seems to make more than the ChemE

Answer 6

im really not sure its sounds a little dangerous