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Chemical Engineers

Also called: Chemical Engineer, Engineer, Process Engineer, Scientist

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What they do:
Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
On the job, you would:
  • Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
  • Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
  • Develop processes to separate components of liquids or gases or generate electrical currents, using controlled chemical processes.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology
  • product and service development
  • design
Math and Science
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • chemistry
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
  • manufacture and distribution of products
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
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

Abilities

Ideas and Logic
  • group things in different ways
  • notice when problems happen
Math
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Verbal
  • read and understand what is written
  • listen and understand what people say
Visual Understanding
  • see hidden patterns

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Initiative

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • Minitab
  • The MathWorks MATLAB Hot Technology
Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology In Demand
Computer aided design CAD software
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Hot Technology In Demand
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$105,550
$62,730
$187,430
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

See more details at O*NET OnLine about chemical engineers.