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FACTOIDS:
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• A chemical engineer currently occupies, or has previously occupied, the CEO position for 3M, DuPont, Exxon and BASF.
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• Of the Big Four engineering fields, chemical engineers compose the smallest group and are, on average, the highest paid.
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• Chemical engineers have played integral parts in producing the atom bomb, inventing plastic and creating artificial organs.
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- Chemical engineers are concerned with transforming raw materials into valuable products by chemical, biochemical or physical processes.
- These engineers work in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, design and construction, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, food processing, specialty chemicals, microelectronics, electronic and advanced materials, biotechnology, and environmental health and safety industries.
- They spend much of their time identifying substances' chemical and physical properties, researching new products, preparing technical reports and ensuring equipment operates correctly.
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- Chemical engineers must have a thorough understanding of chemistry, including chemistry techniques, chemical synthesis and laboratory testing.
- They need to be extremely detail-oriented, have an understanding of database design to help them with their research and know how to report research results.
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- A bachelor's degree in either chemistry or chemical engineering is the most common background.
- Some chemical engineering jobs must be filled by Professional Engineers (PEs). A PE is an engineer who has been licensed by a state, and the license shows that the engineer has completed certain training and has demonstrated a specific degree of competency in a field of engineering.
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- The chemical engineering field is predicted to grow at the same rate as other occupations. However, the number of job openings is predicted to be smaller than the number of graduates, creating stiff competition for jobs.
- The biotechnology field has a need for chemical engineers, which may provide additional job growth for chemical engineers.
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Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics; American Institute of Chemical Engineers
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