Chemical engineering
What is chemical engineering?
What do chemical engineers do?
Where do chemical engineers work?
Work conditions
Employment opportunities
Salaries
Specialisations
Find out more
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical engineering combines knowledge of chemistry, biology, physics and maths with engineering methods to convert raw materials into useful, commercial end products as diverse as food, plastics, petrol, paper, metal and ceramics.
What do chemical engineers do?
Chemical engineers are primarily concerned with solving problems that relate to the manufacture of useful products from raw materials. They may perform the following tasks:
- research raw materials and their properties
- design and develop equipment used in the conversion of raw materials, and in the manufacture of products from the raw materials
- evaluate operating processes
- ensure safe operation of processing plants.
In today’s fragile world, the environment and its protection are areas of major concern. A large part of the work of chemical engineers is to extract and process raw materials without damaging the environment. An exciting and growing area of chemical engineering is the development and testing of new and alternative environmentally friendly fuels.
Where do chemical engineers work?
Chemical engineers work across a diverse range of exciting and innovative industry sectors. Some graduates find work in manufacturing industries in companies involved in the production of products like food, plastics, ceramics, metal and glass. Others work in environment protection, in research and development labs, production and chemical plants, petroleum refineries, or in the pharmaceutical industry in the production of pharmaceutical products like shampoo and penicillin. They may also find work in the mining industry, and for manufacturers of iron and steel products, and organic industrial chemicals.
Experienced chemical engineers can move into roles in research and testing, design, or policy, or may advance to managerial and executive positions.
Work conditions
An engineer’s work environment and hours depend on their specific job and the industry in which they work. In general, chemical engineers work standard hours. Those working in certain areas, like continuous process plants for example, may be required to do shift work.
Employment opportunities
According to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations’ (DEEWR) Australian jobs 2008 there are good job prospects for chemical engineers. Unemployment in this occupation is low, although future job growth is expected to be slight.
There is still a shortage of chemical engineers, which means that chemical engineering graduates have a high employment rate.
Salaries
According to Engineers Australia's 2007 Salary and Benefits survey, the average base starting salary for a graduate chemical engineer across the private and public sectors was $54,192. Chemical engineers with between 4-10 years experience earned an average of $96,789.
Specialisations
Among chemical engineering specialisations are:
- bioprocess engineer
- combustion engineer
- petrochemicals engineer
- petroleum engineer
- process control engineer
- smelting engineer
- water treatment engineer.
Find out more
Engineers Australia, www.engineersaustralia.org.au
Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA), www.apesma.asn.au