21320 – Chemical engineers
21320 – Chemical engineers
Chemical engineers research, design, and develop chemical processes and equipment, oversee the operation and maintenance of industrial chemical, plastics, pharmaceutical, resource, pulp and paper, and food processing plants and perform duties related to chemical quality control, environmental protection and biochemical or biotechnical engineering. They are employed in a wide range of manufacturing and processing industries, consulting firms, government, research and educational institutions.
Profile
Index of titles
Adhesives engineer
Biochemical and biotechnical engineer
Biochemical development engineer
Biochemical engineer
Biotechnical engineer
Biotechnology engineer
Chemical coating engineer
Chemical engineer
Chemical process control engineer
Chemical process engineer
Chemical project engineer
Chief chemical engineer
Chief process engineer
Design and development chemical engineer
Electrochemical engineer
Environmental chemical engineer
Explosives engineer
Fuels engineer
Industrial hygiene engineer
Industrial waste treatment engineer
Liquid fuels engineer
Petrochemical engineer
Petroleum refinery process engineer
Pipeline transport engineer
Plastics engineer
Polymer engineer
Production chemical engineer
Pulp and paper chemical engineer
Pulp and paper engineer
Refinery engineer
Research chemical engineer
Waste treatment engineer
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Conduct economic and technical feasibility studies in areas related to chemical, petroleum, pulp and paper, food or other processing industries
Conduct research into the development or improvement of chemical engineering processes, reactions and materials
Evaluate chemical process technology and equipment and determine production specifications
Design and test chemical processing and associated plants and equipment
Oversee the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing units or processing plants
Establish and conduct quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
Prepare contract documents and evaluate tenders for the process aspects of industrial construction
Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers
May work in an administrative capacity, for example, in the development of guidelines and specifications for the handling of dangerous chemicals, environmental protection, or standards for foods, materials and consumer goods.
Employment requirements
A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional information
Chemical engineers may specialize in the products and processes of a particular industry such as pulp and paper manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, energy processing, plastics, metal extraction and refining, or adhesives and coatings production. They may also specialize in functional areas of various industries such as process control, pollution control or fermentation processes.
Chemical engineers work closely with chemists and other scientists and engineers and mobility is possible between some fields of specialization.
Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
Supervisory and senior positions in this unit group require experience.
There is considerable mobility between chemical engineering specializations at the less senior levels.
Exclusions
Agricultural engineer; biomedical engineer (in 21399 Other professional engineers)
Chemists (21101)
Civil environmental engineer (in 21300 Civil engineers )
Engineering managers (20010)
Metallurgical and materials engineers (21322)
Petroleum engineers (21332)
Electrical process control engineer (in 21310 Electrical and electronics engineers )
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