Chemical engineer
Also known as: chemical engineering specialist, water purification chemical engineer, chemical technology engineer, chemical technology engineering adviser, chemical technology engineering expert, chemical engineering expert
About this occupation
Chemical engineers design and develop large-scale chemical and physical production processes and are involved in the entire industrial process required for transforming raw materials into products.
Essential skills and knowledge
- forecast organisational risks
- apply health and safety standards
- work with chemicals
- assess environmental impact
- perform scientific research
- test chemical samples
- adjust engineering designs
- chemistry
- analytical chemistry
- approve engineering design
- perform chemical experiments
- engineering principles
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Chemical Engineers (O*NET 17-2041.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
- Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
- Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Design and plan layout of equipment.
- Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
- Typical education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Investigative, Conventional
Top skills: Science, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making
US median pay: US$125,040 a year (2025), 21,070 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryExtremely important (4.7)
- Design and TechnologyO*NET: Design + Engineering and TechnologyVery important (4.4)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (4.3)
- Technical DrawingO*NET: DesignVery important (4.0)
- PhysicsO*NET: PhysicsVery important (4.0)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.7)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsImportant (3.2)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Materials Engineers
- Manufacturing Engineers
- Materials Scientists
- Chemists
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Industrial Engineers
- Petroleum Engineers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Nuclear Engineers
- Mechatronics Engineers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.