Career in Chemical Engineering: Opportunities to Specialize

With a CAGR rate of 9.3%, a career in chemical engineering is something to look forward to. Especially if you are a science student and chemistry happen to be your specialty.

The demand for chemical engineers is ever-growing with the increase in the chemical industry, from creating pharmaceutical medicines to packaged food items everything has a pinch of chemical engineering in it.

But how you are going to know which chemical engineering career path is right for you, or what higher education course to choose?

The options are endless, but the bests are limited, and you are going to know about the best chemical engineering jobs and courses here. So, keep reading till the end to know more.

Best Chemical Engineering Jobs in India

Job Prospects	Skills Required	Average Salary (in INR)
Chemical Engineer	IT and numeracy skills Analytical skills Problem-solving skills Work well under pressure	5 LPA
Energy Engineer	Knowledge of the energy market Analytical skills Leadership skills Organizational skills	5.5 LPA
Petroleum Engineer	Strong technical skills Teamworking skills Problem-solving skills Numerical skills	9.5LPA
Nuclear Engineer	Analytical skills Communication skills Logical-thinking skills Detail-oriented	11 LPA
Product Process Engineer	Written and verbal communication skills Strong attention to detail Problem-solving skills Computer skills	7.3 LPA
Analytical Chemist	IT skills Problem-solving skills Numerical skills Analytical skills	3.4 LPA
Mining Engineer	Management skills Organizational skills Technical skills Teamworking skills	6 LPA
Environmental Engineer	Problem-solving skills Writing skills Communication skills Interpersonal skills	5 LPA
Food Scientist	Resolve problems Analysing data Attention to detail Problem-solving skills	6 LPA
Water Resources Engineer	Strong technical skills Teamworking skills Problem-solving skills Numerical skills	5 LPA

Source: Ambition Box, GlassDoor

10 Top-Notch Jobs in Chemical Engineering

If you want to make a career in chemical engineering, then here are some of the top job options.

1. Chemical Engineer

Becoming a Chemical Engineer is the very first choice for career in chemical engineering. Chemical Engineer is a professional who applies principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to design, develop, and optimize chemical processes and systems for manufacturing various products. And as chemical engineer you get to work in a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, energy, and materials.

You will develop and implement methods to convert raw materials into useful products, while considering safety, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness. And as you gain work-experience you may also be involved in researching and developing new materials, improving existing products, and designing and operating industrial processes.

Responsibilities

• Chemical engineers are tasked with converting raw materials into their usable counterparts.
• They are in the charge of designing and developing phases of the products and focus on harnessing raw materials like oil and altering their chemical state to make products for the general public’s use like plastic.

2. Energy Engineer

An Energy Engineer is a professional who specializes in designing, implementing and evaluating energy systems to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption. If you this job as your career in chemical engineering, you have to analyse energy usage data, identify energy-saving opportunities, and recommend and implement strategies to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

You can work in various sectors including construction, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities. As energy engineer your goal is to reduce energy costs and improve sustainability while ensuring the reliability and safety of energy systems.

Responsibilities

• As an energy engineer, your main task will be to produce and manage energy from the extraction to the processing level of natural resources like oil and gas.
• Along with this, owing to the global demand, you will also be required to use your expertise in producing renewable or clean forms of energy like hydro-powered energy, wind energy, and solar energy.

 3. Petroleum Engineer

In the scope of chemical engineering, you will work as a professional specializing in the exploration, extraction, and production of oil and gas resources from the Earth’s subsurface. To advance in this field, consider pursuing specialization courses after chemical engineering, such as petroleum engineering. These courses will equip you with the skills to design and develop technologies and processes for the efficient and safe extraction of these resources from underground reservoirs.

Petroleum engineers also analyse data, conduct simulations, and collaborate with other professionals such as geologists, chemists, and drilling technicians to optimize the production of oil and gas. They play a critical role in the energy industry, working to meet the world’s growing demand for these valuable resources.

Responsibilities

• Petroleum engineers are responsible for all the stages of oil extraction- from evaluation to development and the production of petrol.
• In this career in chemical engineering, you are also tasked with finding newer and cleaner drilling methods and resolving issues with the operations of the petroleum plant.

4.  Nuclear Engineer

Nuclear engineer is another career in chemical engineering that you can go with. In this job profile you are required to apply your knowledge of principles of nuclear physics, engineering, and materials science to develop and maintain systems and equipment that use nuclear energy. You get to work in various fields like power generation, medical technology, and nuclear research.

Nuclear engineers design, develop, and test nuclear reactors, radiation shielding, and other nuclear systems. It is also your job to ensure that nuclear facilities and equipment comply with safety regulations and monitor the impact of nuclear technology on the environment.

Responsibilities

• As a nuclear engineer, you will be tasked with working alongside a team of highly trained chemical engineers who will together manage, run, and design the functioning of a nuclear power station.
• The role for this career in chemical engineering varies but is generally categorized into either developing completely new systems, running the existing ones, or making the existing systems more efficient to improve the sustainability of the nuclear power station.

5. Product Process Engineer

Becoming a Product Process Engineer is also one of the great chemical engineering careers, as a product process engineer you will work on developing and implementing efficient manufacturing processes for a company’s products. You have to collaborate with design teams to optimize product design for ease of manufacturing and oversee production processes to ensure product quality and consistency. This will also be your work to analyse production data to identify areas for improvement and implement solutions to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Responsibilities

• Product process engineers are tasked to bring a similar input level to their workings.
• Their job entails streamlining the manufacturing process and production or process of a product to make it more efficient and economical.
  

6. Analytical Chemist

An Analytical Chemist is one of the best jobs for chemical engineers. As an analytical chemist, you will work on identifying and quantifying chemical compounds and analysing the chemical properties of substances. You will be using various techniques including chromatography, spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry to analyse and interpret data. Analytical Chemists work in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, environmental testing, and forensic science, to name a few. This makes it a great choice for career in mechanical engineer for you.

Responsibilities

• An analytical chemist studies and analyses the chemical composition of elements and substances
• They study and experiment to understand the different states and behaviour of chemicals.

7. Mining Engineer

Mining engineering is the career after chemical engineering in which you get to apply scientific and engineering principles to the exploration, extraction, and processing of minerals and other natural resources from the earth. You must design and oversee the construction of mining operations, develop strategies for safe and efficient mineral extraction, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. In this career in chemical engineering, you also work to improve processes for mining operations and minimize the impact on surrounding communities and the environment.

Responsibilities

• They oversee the mining operations and look after safety standards.
• They must keep technical knowledge of excavation sites and manage the planning of the mine.

8. Environmental Engineer

An environmental engineer is a career in chemical engineering where you get to apply engineering principles to address environmental challenges. You must design and implement solutions to environmental problems like air and water pollution, waste management, and sustainability. Environmental engineers work in a variety of fields, including government, industry, consulting, and research. They use their knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics to develop and implement solutions that protect and improve the environment while also meeting economic and social needs.

Responsibilities

• Environmental engineers develop renewable infrastructure efficiently and cost-effectively.
• They also conduct technical audits and conduct environmental impact assessments.
• They are also responsible for making any recommendations on cleaning, improvement and waste management activities.

9. Food Scientist

Do you love food? the chemicals which make them salivating or bland, then you might want to consider food scientist as your career in chemical engineering. Food scientist is a professional who applies scientific principles to the study of food and its components, from raw materials to the product. They may work in food processing, manufacturing, or research and development. As food scientists, you will analyse and test food to ensure its safety, quality, and nutritional value. And you may also develop new food products or improve existing ones, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other fields to create healthy and appealing foods.

Responsibilities

• A food scientist analyses chemicals in food and checks the food through various tests.
• They also analyse the nutritional content of food, discover new food sources, and research ways to make processed foods safer and healthier.

10. Water Resources Engineer

Water is a crucial natural resource knowing its chemical compound is something to learn if you are interested. Choosing a career in chemical engineering as Water Resources Engineer is you can positively choose. In this profession, you must design and manage water-related projects such as dams, water supply systems, irrigation systems, and wastewater treatment plants. You also must analyse water resources, develop plans to manage them sustainably and ensure that water-related projects comply with environmental regulations and public health standards.

Responsibilities

• Their job is to develop and execute plans to develop and implement water systems and seek out water pollution and provide safe and clean water.
• They are also involved in construction projects of water distribution.

Recommended Read:
What are the trending Chemical Engineering Jobs in India?
List Of Top Engineering Courses In India

What do chemical engineering graduates do?

Fifteen months after graduation, 37% of chemical engineering graduates are employed as engineers. IT specialists, business, research, and administrative specialists, finance specialists, science, engineering, and production technicians, business associate professionals, regulatory associate professionals, and specialists in the natural and social sciences are among the other noteworthy occupations.

Location As A Percentage

73.8 employees

Additional research 8.6

7.6 Working and learning

Jobless4.8

Additional 5.2

Chemical engineering graduate programs

Work type and percentage

44.1 Engineering

Finance, Human Resources, and Business16.8

IT 11.3.

Other experts6.3

Additional 21.5

categories of work submitted to the UK

Learn what other recent graduates in chemical engineering are up to fifteen months after graduating. What careers do graduates have?

Statistics from HESA’s Graduate Outcomes survey.

Career in Chemical Engineering with Chegg

This career in chemical engineering is for you if you want to earn money from sitting at your home. If you have great knowledge of your Chemical Engineering subject matter, then you can positively become Chegg Subject Matter Expert.

When you register on Chegg India as Subject Matter Expert you will be responsible to solve students’ queries posted on the platform, suggesting innovative ways to explain difficult concepts and communicating with students. And if you are thinking about your earning potential, that totally depends on your subject expertise and the number of correct answers you solve. You can Sign up to become Chegg’s Subject Matter Expert and work on an hourly basis, pick your work anytime and work from anywhere.

Courses to Advance Your Career in Chemical Engineering

Courses	Eligibility	Subjects	Job Prospects
Diploma in Chemical Engineering	Students should have passed the 10th or 12th examination in the Science stream with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from a recognized board.	1. Basic Mathematics 2. Basic Computer Systems 3. Chemistry 4. Engineering 5. Drawing 6. Physics 7. Engineering 8. Mathematics	1. Plant Operator 2. Market Analyst 3. Process Engineer 4. Chemical Engineer
Integrated MTech Chemical Engineering	Students should have completed Bachelor’s degree with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as the main subjects.	1. Advanced Process 2. Control Process 3. Modelling & Simulation 4. Chemical Reactor 5. Analysis & Design 6. Advances in Fluidization Engg. 7. Chemical Process 8. Design	1. Senior Process Engineer 2. Chemical Process Engineer 3. Production Manager
PhD	Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or an equivalent field.	1. Energy and Environment 2. Materials Engineering 3. Reaction Engineering 4. Transport Phenomena and Complex Fluids 5. Bio-Chemical Engineering	1. Research Scientist 2. Energy Manager 3. Manufacturing Engineer 4. Mining Engineer
MBA	Students should have completed Bachelor’s degree with at least 60% from a recognized university.	1. Water Technology 2. Polymers Corrosion 3. Fuels and Combustion 4. Environmental Aspects of Chemistry	1. Biochemical Engineer 2. Analytical Chemist 3. Production Manager 4. Supplier Quality Engineer

Also Read: MBA After Engineering- Benefits, Scope, Salary, Colleges

Top 10 Chemical Engineer Graduate Recruiters in India

Want to be at the top in your career in chemical engineering, then you can apply to these 10 best companies for chemical engineers in India.

Company Name	Average Annual Salary (in INR)
Haldia Petrochemicals	13 LPA
IG Petrochemicals	4.7 LPA
Reliance Industries	6 LPA
Grasim Industries	4.9 LPA
Honeywell Uop	11 LPA
Gujarat Fluorochemicals	3.7 LPA
Nirma	3.6 LPA
Gharda Chemicals	3.6 LPA
DIVI’S Laboratories	2.6 LPA
SRFChemical	5.7 LPA

Source: Ambition Box

Explore about more branches in engineering:
List of Marine Engineering Colleges in India
Aeronautical Engineering – A Complete Guide
Top 20 Careers after Computer Science Engineering (CSE)

Choose Your Career After Chemical Engineering

A career after chemical engineering offers a wide variety of jobs for chemical engineers after completing the degree. But the task is to find the best jobs in chemical engineering which go well with your skills and future. To help you with it some of the options for a career in chemical engineering like Food Scientist, Analytical Chemist, Environmental Engineer and more are mentioned.

And if you wish to study more and then some of the best courses have been mentioned here too. Now, what you must do is research and make your decision. Whether it’s for pursuing a course or to do a job; keep working on your goal and you will excel.

To excel in your career and know about various career opportunities read our guide on Career Advice

Frequently Asked Questions