Processes are the primary focus of chemical engineering.
To the chemical engineer, a process is any operation
that changes raw materials into finished products.
This change can either be a chemical reaction
or a physical manipulation of materials to yield
new products. From straightforward processes such
as mixing paint to complex ones such as printing
a microchip, chemical engineers find:
- New ways to improve product quality
- New methods to cut production costs
- New techniques to improve efficiency and reduce
waste
- New routes to reduce the environmental effects
of manufacturing
The impact of chemical engineers is felt on the
processes (and resultant products) in a wide range
of industries, including:
- Petrochemicals (oil, organic solvents, plastics,
etc.)
- Inorganic chemicals and materials (paper,
paint, silica, steel, etc.)
- Electronics
- Pharmaceuticals and biomedical engineering
- Environmental science
- Food processing
- Materials science
In most process-oriented industries, you'll find
chemical engineers improving or extending those
processes. A chemical engineer can work on tasks
as varied as designing a distillation column for
a new product, preparing an environmental impact
statement, or analyzing financial data. The objective
is always the sametake the existing process,
and then make it better, cheaper, safer, or faster.
History
Chemical engineering is closely associated with
chemistry, but it is a distinct discipline. Chemical
engineering appeared during the late 19th century
as the needs of mechanical engineers, applied
chemists, and chemical plant operators converged.
Each group contributed a different piece to what
would become chemical engineering. The formal
discipline was established in 1888, when specific
courses in chemical engineering were introduced
at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. Other universities
soon followed, as chemical engineering departments
grew out of chemistry departments. This growth
was driven by the need for applied processes to
move chemistry discoveries from the laboratory
to commercial production. Techniques and training
from mechanical engineering, such as fluid mechanics
and thermodynamics, were also applied to the new
field of chemical engineering. Focused as it is
on applying chemical discoveries to industrial
processes, chemical engineering has always also
provided training in economic analysis as well.
Using this training, chemical engineers evaluate
the economics of new processes. Determining the
return on investment of new projects places chemical
engineering art the intersection of science and
business.
Professional Roles and Education
The basic educational requirement to work as
a chemical engineer in the United States is a
B.S. degree. Chemical engineers work in many different
positions, though all build on chemical engineering
fundamentals. Some of the more common job functions
are:
Process engineer
Process engineers design new manufacturing
equipment and processes, as well as run plant
trials to test process modifications and new
products. They also gather feedback from operations
personnel to discover new ways to improve plant
efficiency or product quality.
Manufacturing engineer
Manufacturing engineers directly support to
the day-to-day operation of a production facility.
This includes troubleshooting operating problems,
evaluating plant operating efficiencies, training
operators, and maintaining product quality.
Project engineer
Project engineers manage the installation and
construction of new equipment and plants. They
work with contractors, equipment vendors, and
maintenance personnel to estimate and schedule
new installations, as well as prepare mechanical
design packages.
Technical service
engineer
Technical service engineers support customers
in the use of the company's products. This support
includes troubleshooting problems with product
use and analyzing the impact of a product on
the customer's process.
Sales engineer
Sales engineers market and sell a company's products.
They also work with new customers to explain
proper use or installation of new products,
and follow up with customers to solve any problems
that develop.
There are many other professional roles for
chemical engineers. These roles vary by industry
and experience level, but the examples given above
are the most common general positions for chemical
engineers.
Chemical engineers interested in a research career
usually complete their M.S. or Ph.D. degrees.
Though some M.S. and Ph.D. chemical engineers
work in manufacturing and management positions,
many M.S. chemical engineers and most Ph.D. chemical
engineers in industry hold research positions.
Chemical engineering research is as strongly process-focused
as applied chemical engineering. Researchers work
to understand the fundamental behavior of chemical
processes, as well as develop new processes and
products. According to Dr. Greg Payne, Professor
of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the
University of Maryland
Baltimore County, Ph.D. chemical engineers
who obtain positions in industry often begin their
post-academic career at small start-up companies.
Many Ph.D. chemical engineers also pursue careers
within academia, either at research universities
or teaching colleges. To attain a research university
position, further study as a post-doc is becoming
a common requirement.
Salary and Career Opportunities
With the broad-based demand for chemical engineers,
the profession enjoys excellent salaries. According
to the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers' (AIChE) data
for August 2002, starting salaries for B.S. chemical
engineers averaged $51,234. This was the second
highest starting salary among engineering disciplines.
Only computer engineering ($53,546) averaged higher.
The average starting salary offered for M.S. chemical
engineers in 2001 was $57,572, and the average
starting salary offered for Ph.D. chemical engineers
was $73,138, according to the National
Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
For all chemical engineers, the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the following
annual salaries for 2000:
Median Annual
Salary |
$65,960
|
Salary of the
top 10% |
>$93,430
|
Salary of the
middle 50% |
$53,440-$80,840
|
Salary of the
bottom 10% |
<$45,200
|
Chemical engineers'
salaries also demonstrate strong growth. The 2002
AIChE Salary Survey shows annual raises averaging
4.8% in 1999-2001. Despite excellent salaries, BLS
projects a 7-11% drop in the number of chemical
engineers employed in the chemical industry from
2000 to 2010. Management positions in the chemical
industry, which recruit heavily from chemical engineers,
are expected to decline by 3.3% over the same period.
BLS defines the chemical industry to include all
types of chemical manufacture, from plastics and
organic chemicals to inorganic and agricultural
chemicals. Despite the decline in manufacturing
jobs, BLS projects a small increase in the number
of chemical engineers employed in service industries.
Chemical engineering is a versatile degree, providing
many career options and long-term advancement
opportunities. Chemical engineers serve or have
served as CEOs of 3M,
DuPont, General
Electric, Dow
Chemical, ExxonMobil,
and BASF. Chemical
engineers have also reached high levels in governmentformer
CIA Director John M. Deutch was trained as a chemical
engineer. The broad chemical engineering education
is good preparation for advancement in management.
A chemical engineer must have "a complex business
perspective that balances revenue with cost and
capital deployed through a range of technologies"
and manage the "risk of achieving goals through
assessment and deployment of technology" to succeed
at a senior management level, according to Bob
Daniels, Vice President - Process R&D at Millennium
Chemicals.
The problem-solving techniques and generalist
nature of chemical engineering also lend themselves
to employment outside of the chemical industry.
For many chemical engineers, a Master's of Business
Administration (M.B.A.) is a popular choice to
add in-depth business knowledge to a technical
background. Pete Zawadzki, Senior Analyst at Pace
Global Energy Services, says "as chemical
engineers, we have a strong background in process
economics, which gives us the big picture view
of a business process. The added benefit with
the M.B.A. is a focus on outside-of-the-fence
market opportunities. There are significant benefits
to engineers who can align the internal capabilities
of their process with the external market opportunities".
Rounding out technical education with an M.B.A.
provides a wide perspective on industry, as chemical
engineers can apply their training to many business
functions.
Consulting is a significant function within the
chemical engineering professional community. This
work includes environmental analysis and improvements
for private industry and the government, as well
as process plant design and installation. Kevin
Fitzgerald, Project Manager at TAI Engineering,
says "consulting engineers play a critical role
in all phases of a capital project". According
to Nancy Fitzgerald, Senior Research Engineer
at Millennium Chemicals, a consulting engineer's
"responsibilities include:
- Checking that equipment arrives and is installed
properly
- Commissioning new equipment
- Training new
operators
Certification as a Professional Engineer
(P.E.) is important for consulting chemical engineers.
The P.E. defines a specific level of engineering
competence and indicates that certain standards
of knowledge and engineering work have been met.
Depending on U.S. state law, some chemical engineering
work done on a consulting basis must be supervised
by an engineer with a P.E. The certification is
also often required for engineers who work as
independent contractors as proof of competence,
and for completing environmental projects. A P.E.
also makes it easier for independent contractors
to obtain liability insurance for their work.
Chemical engineers are well suited to addressing
environmental science and pollution control. According
to Barbara Roper, Senior Environmental Engineer
with EA
Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc.,
"the chemical engineer brings a unique perspective
to environmental issues. By combining chemistry-related
training with analytical thinking, the chemical
engineer can serve many diverse roles in the various
facets of environmental protection". From Ms.
Roper's experience, the combined background in
chemistry and engineering gives chemical engineers
the training to understand environmental processes
and the chemical reactions that underpin them.
Chemical engineers are found in many roles concerning
the environment, including:
- Designing, installing,
and operating pollution control equipment and
treatment facilities
- Developing environmental
mitigation and remediation plans
- Analyzing the
environmental impact of new production
- Developing
plans for environmental resource management
Environmental
science and pollution control also emphasize the
P.E. certification. Depending on U.S. state law,
there are certain tasks (such as preparing environmental
impact statements) that can only be completed
or certified by a P.E.
Professional Development
The primary professional organization representing
chemical engineers in the U.S. is the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Chemical
engineers in all career tracks are active in the
AIChE; the society has more than 50,000 members.
Summary
Analyzing and improving processes are
the heart and soul of chemical engineering. Chemical
engineers are found in many industries, not only
traditional ones such as petrochemicals or plastics.
Salaries are excellent for chemical engineers
of all education levels, though long-term demand
is expected to decline. With a wide range of training,
analytical skills, and focus on understanding
processes, chemical engineers can work successfully
in areas ranging from financial analysis to environmental
science to process engineering. Wherever there
is a process that can be evaluated and improved,
chemical engineers will be there, working to enhance
it.
Eric Eller is a Senior Program Manager for
the American Chemical Society. Prior to working
at the American Chemical Society, he spent ten
years as a process engineer and research engineer
in the chemical process industry.
Further Reading
See these Web sites for more information on chemical
engineering:
The
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
The National Society
of Professional Engineers
National Engineers'
Week
Bureau
of Labor Statistics report on chemical engineering
Bureau
of Labor Statistics outlook for the chemical industry
Collection
of resource links for chemical engineering
National Association
of Colleges and Employers
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