Everyone wants their transportation to be fast, safe, and cheap, but increasingly, people are also demanding that transportation be environmentally responsible. Biofuels and Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers use their scientific research skills to deliver all of the above. Biofuels are made from plants or waste produced by farming, manufacturing, homes, and businesses. In this product development field, managers might research how products made from corn or used cooking oil can fuel a car, or how to reduce the pollutants from using dried manure or wood pellets to heat homes. These managers oversee the work of a larger team of research and development scientists and technicians. Together, they design and conduct studies on fluid dynamics, and how to extract components from materials. To gain value from waste materials, they may develop fuel from garbage and recycled materials, minimizing what gets dumped in the landfill. Most managers in this field have a bachelor’s degree or higher in environmental science or biotechnology. Several years of previous experience in the field is important before securing this position. Thanks to the creative problem-solving power of these professionals, the biofuels of the future are getting cheaper, greener, and more efficient.
What they do:
Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.
On the job, you would:
Design or conduct applied biodiesel or biofuels research projects on topics, such as transport, thermodynamics, mixing, filtration, distillation, fermentation, extraction, and separation.
Analyze data from biofuels studies, such as fluid dynamics, water treatments, or solvent extraction and recovery processes.
Prepare, or oversee the preparation of, experimental plans for biofuels research or development.
Arts and Humanities
English language
Math and Science
chemistry
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Engineering and Technology
product and service development
computers and electronics
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
manufacture and distribution of products
Basic Skills
reading work related information
talking to others
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
read and understand what is written
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
use rules to solve problems
Math
choose the right type of math to solve a problem
add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Attention
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
Adaptability/Flexibility
Analytical Thinking
Dependability
Integrity
Attention to Detail
Stress Tolerance
You might use software like this on the job:
Object or component oriented development software
Oracle Java
Perl
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Microsoft Dynamics
SAP business and customer relations management software
bachelor's degree or master's degree usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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