Chemical engineers (also known as process engineers) design and develop ways of turning raw materials into useful products. They may work on the manufacture of a huge range of products, including plastics, medicines, food and drink, artificial fibres and other man-made synthetic products.

Chemical engineers can work in research and development, or on the practical building and running of chemical processing plants or factories.

In research and development, chemical engineers:

• develop and test new or improved products and machinery
• carry out laboratory experiments, and convert them into large-scale industrial processes
• use computer models and simulations to research new products and processes.

In production, they are responsible for:

• the day-to-day operation of the plant
• maintenance procedures
• monitoring and trouble-shooting
• health and safety.

Fully-qualified professional engineers usually hold incorporated or chartered status:

Chartered engineers are normally involved at a strategic planning level, or in research and development. They are often project leaders and lead teams of incorporated engineers and technicians.

Incorporated engineers solve practical engineering problems and often hold key operational management roles.

Hours and Environment

As a chemical engineer your hours can vary. In research and development you will usually work 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, with extra hours sometimes necessary to meet a project deadline. In processing and manufacturing, you could work on a seven-day shift system that may include weekends, evenings and nights.

You will work indoors in laboratories, offices or factories. You may need to wear protective clothing and eye shields in laboratories and some factory environments.

Skills and Interests

To be a chemical engineer you need:

• an interest in science and technology
• problem-solving and analytical ability
• good planning and organisational skills
• excellent mathematical and computer skills
• the ability to manage projects, budgets and people
• good communication and teamworking skills.

Entry

To become a chemical engineer, you will normally need a BEng degree, HNC or HND in chemical engineering.

Chemical engineering degrees and HNCs/HNDs are available at colleges and universities all over the UK. You can find details of accredited courses from the Institution of Chemical Engineering (IChemE) and Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) websites. (See Further Information section below for contact details).

To get onto a relevant degree you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3), and two A levels/three H grades including maths and a science subject. Some universities offer a foundation year for people without qualifications in maths and science. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

It may improve your future career prospects to have a Master's degree (MEng) as well as a first degree in chemical engineering.

If you have a degree in another branch of engineering, or in a related subject like chemistry or polymer science, it may help your chances of employment to take an MSc postgraduate degree in chemical or process engineering.

For information about a career in chemical engineering as a career, see the websites for:

• IChemE
• IET
• SEMTA
• Women into Science and Engineering.

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship scheme to qualify as a chemical engineering technician (see the Chemical Engineering Technician profile for more details about starting at this level). 

Funding for apprenticeships is available for 16-24 year olds and some over-25s. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Training

You will normally be trained on the job, possibly through a structured graduate training scheme.

You will improve your career prospects by joining a professional engineering body like IChemE or IET, and gaining professional incorporated or chartered engineer status from the Engineering Council.

See the IChemE, IET and Engineering Council websites for more information on how to gain incorporated and chartered engineer status.

IChemE and IET both also offer a range of short courses for experienced engineers to keep up-to-date with new skills and technologies.

Opportunities

As a chemical engineer you could work in a huge range of industries, including:

• paper manufacture
• cosmetics
• food and drink
• drugs and medicines
• textiles
• oil and gas
• energy
• water.

Other fields include the nuclear industry, microchip development and production, and biotechnology.

With experience, you could progress into senior management jobs at a relatively young age. It is not unusual to find chemical engineers on the boards of large multinational companies. Alternatively, you could move into freelance consultancy work.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Graduates starting salaries range between £18,000 and £27,000 a year.
Experienced chemical engineers can earn between £30,000 and £40,000 a year.
Senior chartered chemical engineers can earn £40,000 to £60,000.

Further information

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