Careers in Chemical Engineering: The Process of Making Things Better
Eric Eller

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• 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 same—take 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:

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 government—former 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