What Do Chemical Engineer Do?
Chemical Engineer Job Description 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.
What Do Chemical Engineers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Design and plan layout of equipment.
- Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- Direct activities of workers who operate or are engaged in constructing and improving absorption, evaporation, or electromagnetic equipment.
- Determine most effective arrangement of operations such as mixing, crushing, heat transfer, distillation, and drying.
- Develop processes to separate components of liquids or gases or generate electrical currents, using controlled chemical processes.
- Perform tests and monitor performance of processes throughout stages of production to determine degree of control over variables such as temperature, density, specific gravity, and pressure.
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Chemical Engineer Skills
Chemical Engineers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Polymerization Engineer
- Plant Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Chemical Test Engineer
- Chemical Research Engineer
Chemical Engineer Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 32,700 jobs in the United States for Chemical Engineer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,400 new jobs for Chemical Engineer by 2026. There will be an estimated 2,400 positions for Chemical Engineer per year.
The states with the most job growth for Chemical Engineer are North Dakota, Utah, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, West Virginia, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Chemical Engineer Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Chemical Engineers is somewhere between $64,890 and $169,770.
Chemical Engineers who work in Texas, District of Columbia, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Chemical Engineers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $112,780 |
| Alaska | $134,440 |
| Arizona | $99,580 |
| Arkansas | $87,880 |
| California | $103,590 |
| Colorado | $100,670 |
| Connecticut | $89,660 |
| Delaware | $120,280 |
| District of Columbia | $117,470 |
| Florida | $96,120 |
| Georgia | $91,530 |
| Idaho | $114,140 |
| Illinois | $94,830 |
| Indiana | $99,010 |
| Iowa | $107,490 |
| Kansas | $98,090 |
| Kentucky | $101,180 |
| Louisiana | $111,090 |
| Maryland | $113,670 |
| Massachusetts | $109,950 |
| Michigan | $102,780 |
| Minnesota | $98,910 |
| Mississippi | $109,940 |
| Missouri | $105,990 |
| Montana | $87,350 |
| Nebraska | $90,600 |
| New Hampshire | $79,110 |
| New Jersey | $122,210 |
| New Mexico | $110,020 |
| New York | $100,380 |
| North Carolina | $99,810 |
| Ohio | $96,080 |
| Oklahoma | $107,290 |
| Oregon | $98,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,390 |
| Rhode Island | $90,180 |
| South Carolina | $87,880 |
| Tennessee | $106,830 |
| Texas | $147,720 |
| Utah | $95,000 |
| Virginia | $111,440 |
| Washington | $103,620 |
| West Virginia | $97,430 |
| Wisconsin | $92,310 |
| Wyoming | $105,490 |
What Tools do Chemical Engineers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Chemical Engineers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Visio
- Structured query language SQL
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- R
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- C
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
Becoming a Chemical Engineer
What kind of Chemical Engineer requirements are there?
What work experience do I need to become a Chemical Engineer?
Chemical Engineers Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Chemical Engineers employed by various industries.
Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Chemical Engineer may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Chemical Engineer in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
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