What do chemical engineers do?
Chemical engineers design, develop, and improve processes that turn raw materials into useful products. They apply chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering principles to solve production problems, improve efficiency, and help protect people and the environment.
From the medicine in your cabinet to the materials in your phone, chemical engineering touches products you use every day. If you enjoy science and want to understand how things are made, this field offers several directions to explore.
Below, learn about chemical engineers' responsibilities, career options, and the steps you can take to prepare for the profession.
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical engineering connects scientific knowledge with the practical challenges of manufacturing. It involves deciding how materials should be processed, what equipment is needed, and how to keep a process operating safely and economically. The American Chemical Society (ACS) describes translating laboratory processes into commercial production as a central part of this work.
Consider a product that has been successfully developed in a laboratory. Before a company can manufacture it in large quantities, someone needs to answer questions such as:
- How will the ingredients be mixed, heated, cooled, or separated?
- Will the process behave differently in larger equipment?
- How much energy and raw material will production require?
- How will the team maintain quality from one batch to the next?
Chemical engineers work through these questions to help make production possible.
Chemical engineer responsibilities
Your responsibilities as a chemical engineer will depend on your industry and position. Some roles focus on developing new processes, while others concentrate on improving an existing operation.
Design and develop production processes
Chemical engineers help determine how a production system should work. That may include evaluating equipment, developing process diagrams, and calculating operating requirements.
For example, when comparing two equipment options, an engineer might consider more than purchase price. One option could use less energy but require more maintenance. Another might offer greater capacity than the facility currently needs. The design decision must account for how the equipment will perform within the overall process.
Improve efficiency and solve production problems
When a process falls short of its goals, chemical engineers investigate why. They review operating conditions, analyze results, and recommend improvements.
An investigation might start with questions like these:
- Did the raw material change?
- Is a piece of equipment performing differently?
- Did the problem appear gradually or all at once?
- What evidence would help rule out a possible cause?
This work requires careful reasoning. Changing a setting without understanding the problem could create another issue elsewhere.
Support safety and environmental performance
Chemical engineers also evaluate process hazards, help establish operating procedures, and assess opportunities to reduce waste. Safety and environmental considerations influence both initial designs and later improvements.
These duties, along with equipment design and process troubleshooting, are reflected in O*NET’s chemical engineer occupational profile.
Communicate recommendations
A technical solution is only useful if the people implementing it understand what needs to happen. Chemical engineers explain findings, document decisions, and work with colleagues who bring different perspectives.
For instance, a recommendation to change a production step should explain the expected benefit, the assumptions behind it, and how the team will evaluate the result.
Where do chemical engineers work?
Chemical engineering careers span industries including energy, pharmaceuticals, food production, and advanced materials. Depending on their role, chemical engineers may help develop medicines, improve fuel production, design water treatment processes, or create new plastics and polymers.
The examples below show how that work can take different forms:
| Industry | Examples of Chemical Engineering Work |
| Chemical manufacturing | Improving processes used to make chemicals, polymers, and other materials |
| Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology | Developing and scaling production processes for medicines and biological products |
| Energy and fuels | Optimizing fuel production or developing alternative energy processes |
| Food and beverage | Improving processing methods and production efficiency |
| Environmental applications | Developing water treatment and waste recovery processes |
| Materials and electronics | Supporting production methods for advanced materials and electronic components |
Work settings vary, too. Chemical engineers may divide their time among offices, laboratories, and industrial facilities. Some positions involve visiting production sites or working additional hours when operational problems arise, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
When reviewing a job posting, look beyond the industry name. A design position and a plant operations position can offer very different daily experiences.
A typical day in chemical engineering
What do chemical engineers do on a daily basis? The answer depends on the role, but an example can help you picture how the work fits together.
Imagine you are a process engineer at a manufacturing facility, and the previous shift reported that a batch took longer than expected. An illustrative day might include:
- Reviewing the Data: Compare the batch with earlier runs and identify where the delay occurred.
- Speaking with Operators: Ask what they observed and whether anything unusual happened.
- Investigating Possible Causes: Examine the available evidence before recommending a change.
- Discussing Next Steps: Work with the appropriate team members to evaluate a proposed adjustment.
- Documenting the Outcome: Record what was learned and what still needs investigation.
This is one possible scenario, rather than a standard schedule. A chemical engineer developing a new process might spend more time comparing designs or planning experiments.
As you explore careers, ask working engineers to describe a recent project. A specific example can tell you more about a role than a job title alone.
Chemical engineer vs. chemist: what’s the difference?
Chemical engineering and chemistry overlap, but they typically emphasize different questions. Chemists study substances, their properties, and their reactions. Chemical engineers apply that knowledge, along with engineering principles, to develop and improve processes.
A simplified comparison looks like this:
| Focus | Chemist | Chemical Engineer |
| Typical question | What properties does this substance have? | How can we manufacture or process it reliably? |
| Example project contribution | Investigating a reaction or analyzing a sample | Evaluating equipment and operating conditions |
| Shared concerns | Quality, safety, testing, and data analysis | Quality, safety, testing, and data analysis |
These are broad distinctions, and responsibilities can overlap. Both professionals contribute to research and product development. The ACS explanation of chemical engineering’s role in commercial production provides helpful context for understanding the connection.
If you are comparing different types of engineering, consider which problems interest you most, as well as which subjects you enjoy studying.
Skills chemical engineers use on the job
Chemical engineers need to combine technical understanding with sound judgement. Calculations matter, but so does knowing whether the information going into them is reliable.
Skills to develop include:
- Quantitative Reasoning: Use mathematics to evaluate a process and check whether results make sense.
- Data Analysis: Recognize patterns, compare performance, and distinguish evidence from assumptions.
- Problem-Solving: Break a complex issue into questions you can investigate.
- Communication: Explain technical findings to people with different responsibilities and backgrounds.
- Teamwork: Incorporate input from colleagues who operate, maintain, test, or design a system.
- Attention to Detail: Notice inconsistencies in measurements, documentation, and proposed changes.
These abilities align with the analytical, communication, and problem-solving demands described in O*NET’s chemical engineering profile
You can practice them before your first engineering job. In a class project, for example, document your assumptions, explain why you selected an approach, and review whether your results support your conclusion.
Chemical engineering job outlook
The BLS projects 5% employment growth for chemical engineers from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
As you explore opportunities, consider the responsibilities, work environment, and experience each position offers. For an early-career role, useful questions to ask include:
- What types of projects do new engineers work on?
- Who will provide training and review your work?
- How much time will you spend in an office, laboratory, or production facility?
- What opportunities will you have to develop technical skills?
These details can help you identify positions that align with your interests and career goals.
How to become a chemical engineer
Preparing for a chemical engineering career usually involves a relevant degree, practical experience, and continued development on the job. If professional licensure fits your goals, you will also need to understand your licensing board’s requirements.
Earn a relevant degree
Chemical engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or a related field. Internships and cooperative education experience can also be valuable to some employers, according to the BLS.
As you compare programs, review the curriculum, accreditation, lab opportunities, and industry connections. Ask how students gain experience applying what they learn.
Build practical experience
Use internships, research opportunities, and team projects to explore the work that interests you. Pay attention to which activities you enjoy: investigating results, planning a process, working with equipment, or explaining a recommendation.
Keep a record of your contributions. Being able to explain a problem, your approach, and what you learned will help you discuss your experience with potential employers.
Understand FE and PE exam requirements
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first exam in the professional engineering licensure process. The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam evaluates competency in a particular engineering discipline. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) develops and scores both exams. Learn more about NCEES exams.
For chemical engineering candidates, the FE Chemical and PE Chemical exams are the discipline-specific options to explore. PPI’s PE Chemical exam details can help you learn more about the exam.
Before planning your exams, check your state or territorial licensing board’s education, experience, and application requirements. Passing an exam alone does not make you a licensed professional engineer.
Prepare for your chemical engineering exam with PPI
When you are ready to prepare for an engineering exam, a clear study plan can help you turn a broad list of topics into manageable work.
PPI offers FE Chemical exam preparation for candidates building their foundation and PE Chemical exam preparation for engineers preparing for the next exam in their licensure path.
Depending on the prep you choose, study resources include:
- Instructor-Led Review: Work through engineering concepts and problem-solving approaches.
- Practice Questions and Explanations: Apply what you have reviewed and examine the reasoning behind each solution.
- Quizzes and Practice Exams: Check your progress and identify topics that need more attention.
- Review Materials: Revisit concepts as you work through your study plan.
Frequently asked questions about chemical engineering
What can you do with a chemical engineering degree?
A chemical engineering degree can prepare you for roles in process engineering, manufacturing, research and development, process control, and technical project work. Opportunities span industries such as pharmaceuticals, energy, food production, and materials manufacturing. When searching for jobs, include titles such as “process engineer” and “project engineer,” since relevant positions may not use “chemical engineer” in the title.
Do chemical engineers work in labs?
Some chemical engineers work in laboratories, where they test materials, evaluate reactions, or develop production methods. Others work primarily in offices or manufacturing facilities, designing processes and supporting operations. The amount of laboratory work depends on the position and industry.
Is chemical engineering mostly chemistry?
Chemical engineering combines chemistry with mathematics, physics, and engineering principles. Depending on the specialty, biology may also play a role. Chemical engineers use these subjects to understand how materials behave and design processes for mixing, heating, cooling, separating, or transforming them.
What is the difference between a chemical engineer and a process engineer?
Chemical engineering is an engineering discipline, while process engineer is a job title. Chemical engineers often work as process engineers, designing and improving production systems. However, process engineering roles may also be filled by engineers from other disciplines, depending on the industry and job requirements.
Do chemical engineers need to take the FE exam?
The FE exam is part of the path to becoming a licensed professional engineer, rather than a requirement for every chemical engineering job. If you plan to pursue PE licensure, review your licensing board’s requirements and consider when the FE Chemical exam fits into your career plans.
Can chemical engineers work in sustainability?
Yes. Chemical engineers can contribute to sustainability through projects involving water treatment, materials recycling, alternative fuels, and more efficient manufacturing. Their work may focus on reducing energy consumption, recovering useful materials, or limiting waste while maintaining process safety and product quality.
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