Chemical engineers work with ground-breaking technologies to enhance the quality of people's lives in areas such as environmental protection, the management of resources, and controlling health and safety

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Biotechnologist
• Chemical engineer
• Colour technologist
• Energy engineer
• Nuclear engineer
• Petroleum engineer
• Product/process development scientist

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Analytical chemist
• Energy manager
• Environmental engineer
• Manufacturing engineer
• Materials engineer
• Mining engineer
• Production manager
• Quality manager
• Waste management officer
• Water engineer

Work experience

Work experience is a valuable way of getting first-hand knowledge of specialised industries. If you're undecided about the area of chemical engineering you want to work in, try to get an industrial placement to find out what's available. This may be a placement that's part of your degree, or one you set up yourself during the summer.

Industrial placements are a great way of building up your practical experience and skills, testing and expanding your knowledge, and establishing a network of contacts for future work opportunities. There may also be opportunities to work shadow a chemical engineer to find out more about what they do.

Work experience is available in the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and food and drink industries. Check out the careers section of company websites for more information on the opportunities available.

Typical employers

Employers cover a range of industrial sectors. Any company involved in large-scale conversion of raw materials into a product will require chemical engineers.

You'll find major employers in gas and oil extraction, oil refining, nuclear and other power generation and process industries, including pharmaceuticals, fine and heavy chemicals, and agrochemicals. Other manufacturing industries that need chemical engineers include those supplying:

• fibres and polymers
• food and drink
• plastic and metals
• pulp and paper
• toiletries.

Many chemical development engineers work for engineering consultancy and contracting firms.

There are also opportunities to work in pollution control, environmental protection, energy conservation, waste recovery and recycling, alternative energy, medical science and health and safety.

Skills for your CV

In addition to specific technical knowledge, a chemical engineering degree provides a sound theoretical basis for introducing new technology and advancing existing technology. You also gain an awareness of the global and societal context in which engineering solutions are applied.

Transferable skills that would be useful in a range of engineering and business-related roles include:

• problem-solving and analytical skills
• project management, through group design work
• resource management
• teamwork and leadership
• IT skills
• initiative and attention to detail, through independent research
• creativity and innovation
• communication and presentation skills, developed through group work and presenting research projects.