Master Guide to Chemical Engineering

1. Oil & Gas Refining – Noteworthy players like Reliance Industries, IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, Valero Energy Corporation, Phillips 66, Saudi Aramco, Tesoro, Rabigh Refining & Petrochemical Company etc – Members of Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry can be seen here
2. Oil & Gas – Gazprom, Lukoil, Exxon Mobil, Rosneft, Royal Dutch Shell, Repsol, BP, Chevron, Statoil, Eni, Oxy, Suncor Energy and more
3. Gas Utilities– Major players like Osaka gas company limited, GAIL (India) Limited etc
4. Oil & Gas Exploration – Notable companies like Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, CNOOC, ConocoPhillips, Oil India Limited, Canadian Natural Resources etc
5. Biotechnology/ Pharmaceutical companies – Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, Biocon, Glenmark, SANOFI, gsk, abbott, Sun Pharma are the few prominent players in global pharmaceutical field.
6. Coal Production & Processing companies like Coal India Limited, China Shenhua Energy Company Limited        
7. Power generation Plants – Famous ones like Tata Power, NTPC, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Saudi Electricity Company, SSE plc and more
8. Petrochemical plants – GAIL, Petronas, BASF, Dow Chemicals, Equate Petrochemical are the few in which Chemical Engineers are employed.
9. Chemicals – Air Products, Praxair, Sadara Chemical Company, Eastman Chemical Company, Sumitomo Chemical, Sinopec etc
10. Fertilizer plants – Yara International, Israel Chemicals, CF Industries, SAFCO, NFL, IFFCO, URALCHEM, Eurochem, Sinofert, Sinochem, QAFCO are few of the prominent fertilizer manufactures – Members of International Fertilizer Association is available here and Fertilizer Association of India can be seen here
11. Cement Plants – LafargeHolcim, Anhui Conch, HeidelbergCement, Italcementi, CEMEX, UltraTech Cement, Ambuja Cements etc. Members of Cement Manufacturers Association – India can be seen here
12. FMCG companies – Nestle, Pepsico, P & G, Unilever, Coca Cola, L’Oreal, ITC, Dabur, etc
13. Food & Beverages – Kraft Heinz, Mondelez International, Amul, Brittania, Nigerian Breweries Plc,  Heineken, Wilmar International are the notable one.
14. Nuclear Technology – BARC, NPCIL,
15. Space/ Aerospace – NASA, ISRO, The Boeing Company,
16. Textile – Bombay Dyeing, Grasim Industries, Century Textiles and Industries Ltd.
17. Paint & Coatings – PPG, Akzo Nobel, Nippon Paint Holdings, Asian Paints
18. Chemical Process Design – Axens, UOP, KBR, Saipem, FMCTechip, Toyo, Tecnimont, Chiyoda, Lurgi are few well known companies involved in Chemical Process Design. Visit our article on Career in Chemical Process Design Companies 
19. Academia – Universities & Colleges recruit Chemical Engineers for teaching profession. There are few MOOC websites like Edureka, Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn, Chalkstreet where one can become a freelancer for teaching their own courses related to Chemical Engineering. Enroll Now for Advanced MS Excel 2016 Certification Training By Edureka and increase your chances to get hired by Top Tech Companies
20. Iron & Steel – Tata Steel, Arcelor Mittal, VALE, POSCO, Hyundai Steel Company, Kobe Steel
21. Electronics – Intel, IBM, Toshiba, Qualcomm etc
22. Water Industry – Nalco, Ecolab, GE Water and Process, Va Tech Wabag, ITT Corporation, Black & Veatch, Thermax, Veolia Environment, Suez Environment, Thames Water etc
23. Process Plant Equipment – GE, Mitsubishi, L&T, ISGEC, Dresser Rand, thyssenkrupp
24. Engineering services & consulting –  Engineers India Ltd., Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Hydrocarbon Engineering, Schlumberger, Linde Engineering, Halliburton, Baker Hughes
25. Consulting & Analytics – Platts, CRU, McKinsey & Company, Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouse Coopers etc
26. Quality assurance and risk management – Bureau Veritas, Intertek, DNV-GL, Cholamandalam MS Risk Services Limited, TUV, SGS, BSI, BIS etc
27. Information Technology, Software & OTS – TCS, CTS, Infosys, Wipro, Accenture, Honeywell, Aspen Tech, Yokogawa, UOP, Emerson, HTRI, Oracle Hyperion, , Chemstations, Schneider Electric Software etc  
28. Automotive Industry –Toyota, Volkswagen Group, Hyundai, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Honda etc
29. Polymers – BASF SE, Dow Chemical, Exxon Mobil, SABIC, Sinopec, Lyondell Basell, Ineos, Eni, LG Chem,Lanxess, Chevron Phillip, etc
30. Software – TCS, Wipro, Honeywell Process (UniSim), Hyprotech (Aspen), Heat Transfer Research, Inc. (HTRI), etc
31. Instrumentation & Control – Distributed Control Systems (DCS) / PLC/ SCADA suppliers like Emerson, Honeywell, ABB, Yokogawa, Siemens, Rockwell etc
32. Pulp & Paper – International Paper, Procter & Gamble, ITC, BILT, Sappi, Marubeni, Kimberly Clark, TNPL, JK Paper, West Coast Paper, Emami Paper, Asia Pulp Paper Group, UPM Group, Chemming group etc

What are the Top Skills required for Chemical Engineers?

Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering – Sound knowledge on fundamentals of Chemical Engineering principles is the primary requirement for any Chemical Engineer to get entry into Chemical Industry.

Skills to carry out the day to day activities in his job like the following are recommended add-ons

1. Communication
2. Process Improvement
3. Safety compliance
4. Chemical Process Engineering
5. Project Management
6. Microsoft Office
7. Matlab
8. Problem Solving
9. Logical Reasoning
10. Teamwork
11. Leadership

What are the available Career options for Chemical Engineering graduate?

We have analyzed 7700+ profiles of Chemical Engineers on LinkedIn and our Chemical Engineering Jobs Digest to understand the Career options available across various companies and the job description. It gives us lot of insights into the Career options for Chemical Engineering graduates. Here are few examples.

1. Alarm Management Engineer

Alarm Management Engineer in a Refinery must have working knowledge of ISA Alarm Management Standard. He is responsible for consultation, development, deployment and support of technologies related to process alarm management, advanced alarm management, operator situational awareness. He must be a Contributor to the organization’s Alarm Management R&D program. He Supports development, upkeep, and deployment of Alarm Management Engineering Standards. He also provides Technology support for both domestic and international Upstream and Downstream operating companies.

2. Analyst

The Analyst involves himself in Market Analysis for any Chemical market worldwide based on the company employed. His job also involves supply and demand analysis & forecast, analysing the historical price movements etc. Since the market is highly dynamic, these data will be helpful for government and other investors to take decisions on policy, trade and investment opportunities. In simple terms, an analyst’s job is to convert information into insight.

3. Application and Product Development Engineer

Application and Product Development Engineer supports new product development teams and innovation efforts. Associate will be responsible for the conception, design and development of new and improved products. Coordinates and implements projects through all phases of design and development.

4. Area Sales Officer/ Sales Manager

The major task of the Sales officer is maintaining existing sales and also to identify new business opportunities based on client interactions. He is also responsible for deciding pricing strategy, market mapping, negotiating and implementing sales contracts and preparation of detailed financial and statistical reports related to sales.

5. Associate Engineer/ Assistant Engineer/ Deputy Manage/ Manager – Proposal & Process

Proposal Engineer Coordinate and prepare response to Request for Proposals. They Review inquiry documents, highlight the clarifications/deviations, identify missing potential information. They also need to coordinate with in-house team members and sub suppliers to collect required inputs for the proposal. They must have understanding of the commercial terms and conditions. Proposal Manager perform duty as the Lead Technical Bid Manager to formulate the complete Bid Engineering Deliverables mainly on the estimation and costing. He also participates in bid meetings.

6. Process Engineer

Process Engineer Analyses project specifications, tender and proposals requirements and contribute to the development of design parameters and methodologies. He prepares technically correct, safe, environmentally friendly, cost & time effective discipline engineering analysis and solutions for approval which includes Design basis, Process description, PFD, P&ID, Heat & material balance and material selection philosophy, Control Philosophy, Process and Utility P&ID’s,  Equipment & instrumentation Datasheet, Utilities and chemicals consumption summaries. He must be conversant with API standards & international codes Calculations like Hydraulic calculation, pump sizing, equipment sizing, simulation, material & energy balance. Process Engineer provides support to all project activities, from engineering to start- up, as required. He also interfaces with other process engineering disciplines and design team and assists in development of a process knowledge databases for studies, projects/ operations (capturing and reporting events, experiences within studies, projects & operations and writing of technical notes). Application of 2D software Autocad, microstation and Microsoft Visio, Experience in Smart plant PID (SPPID) and Navis Works would have the added advantage.

7. Commissioning Engineer/ Startup Engineer

Commissioning engineer’s duty includes Pre-commissioning activities as required in unit related with flushing loops, Catalyst loading, Chemical Cleaning, Pressure test loops, flushing & leak tests, blowing, test run. He has to prepare the Punch list and ensure that the installation and facilities are in line with unit P&ID’s and PFD’s.  Day to day activity also involves with Checking, liquidation and issue of checklists to comply with requirements relating to Pre-commissioning, commissioning, and stabilization of commissioning activities and start up activities as per the standards of the Project Management Consultant. Receiving and thereafter imparting training to the designated personnel and demonstrating competency is also the part of the commissioning engineer’s jobs.

8. DCS Panel Engineer

DCS Panel engineer monitors the plant operating parameters in DCS from Control room. They monitor the trends of parameters and take necessary action to keep the parameters in control range. They also monitor and acknowledge alarms generated because of deviations in operating parameters and take corrective action to bring back the process parameters in control. They monitor plant startup and shutdown activities and communicate with field operators to follow the Standard Operating Procedure for the safe operation. They are well versed with the Control philosophy and control loops of the plant and also about Emergency Shutdown systems to manage any emergency. They are conversant with the starting interlocks , Burner Management System, Trip logics associated with equipment’s like Steam and Gas Turbines, Compressors, Boilers etc. They play major role in operating the plant with greater efficiency and desired safety.

9. Formulation Scientist

In Pharmaceutical companies, formulation scientist Progresses drug product design & development aspects, Contributes to Pharmaceutical Development strategies, Develops phase appropriate formulations to support clinical studies and ultimately commercialization and prepares development and regulatory reports.

10. Process Simulation Engineer – OTS

OTS Engineer develop Process area model (PAM) development for Operator Training Simulator (OTS) delivery. Then they extract data from PFD, P&ID, data sheets & other engineering documents. They start working on Control system modelling and then they develop operator graphics. It will be translated, integrated, and interfaced with DCS and ESD control systems. They ensure that the Scenarios and malfunctions simulation strategies are developed in compliance with the Customer Specifications. They participate in Model Acceptance Test (MAT), Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), Site Acceptance Test (SAT) and then the Operator Training Simulator is ready for its deployment. Proficiency in Steady state and Dynamic Simulation using Aspen HYSYS, UNISIM, Aspen Plus, PROSIM, DYNSIM, Petrosim, CHEMCAD software’s is added advantage to shine. Knowledge about Industrial Control Systems like Honeywell, Emerson, Schneider, Yokogawa, BHGE Compressor/Turbine Controller is much valued in the industry.

11. Production Superintendent/ Plant Superintendent

Production Superintendent Manages plant operators and technicians, Ensures Compliance with all applicable regulatory, policy, and internal engineering standards.  He collaborates with support teams for technical assistance, Maximize efficiency and operating capacity of the plant. Helps in Troubleshooting plant process & equipment problems and implementing solutions, Manages requirements for energy incentive programs, Maintain QA program, facilitate customer and corporate audits. He also Coordinates major outage and project work with reliability centers, mechanical integrity team, and capital project teams to ensure most efficient and cost-effective execution, Maintains documentation of equipment and process. He is also responsible for process safety information related to plant activities (Management of Change ,Hazardous Work Permits)

12. Loss Prevention Engineer/ Process Safety Engineer

They involve in conducting various process safety studies. They analyse hazard scenarios by applying the bowtie method; Carry out Fault Tree and Event Tree Analysis; Participates in Hazard Identification; Participates in Hazop Study ; Conducts Fire & Gas Mapping study; Involve in Reliability, Availability, & Maintainability Analysis; Conducts What-If Analysis; Participates in Failure Modes & Effects Analysis; Involves in Risk Reduction & ALARP; Devising HSE Management Systems; Preparation of Hazardous Area Classification drawings; Knowledge of international standards, specifications and codes e.g. NFPA, API,IEC, IP, BSI, OISD and ISO procedures and standards is a requisite. Certifications and Courses like TÜV Rheinland Risktec CPDs , NEBOSH are added advantages to perform better. Understanding and application of HSE software tools like Phast, Phast Risk, PHA, Flare sim, Sound plan, Pipe net, Safeti etc.

13. Terminal Operator/ Terminal Manager

They involve in Supervising day to day operations including vessel loading/unloading, transfer between tanks/terminal and blending of petroleum products. They supervise product transfer alignments including piping, pumps, & associated valves. They record tank gauges, temperature readings, and taking samples from liquid storage tanks. They Perform pigging operation for line cleaning or to avoid product contamination. They also operate oily water separation unit and proper disposal of treated water in order to avoid land pollution. They involve in operation of diesel fired hot oil system / electrical heat tracing unit to maintain liquid temperature in tank and pipelines. They monitor PLC/SCADA computer and troubleshooting problems as they arise. They also monitor rotary equipment’s condition and troubleshooting problems including pumps, compressor and diesel generators. They supervise and co-ordinate truck loading/unloading operation. Terminal Operator prepares pump logs, vessel time sheet, daily/monthly report. Inspect all vessels before loading and after loading to ensure that the container meets marine regulations and standards. They participate in tank cleaning activity, tank conversion and tank API inspection. They coordinate with port authorities for vessel berthing/deberthing and vessel operation. They report all accidents, incidents and near misses to management and also Participate in first aid program, fire and safety program and annual emergency response training drills as required. They perform all job duties in accordance with Federal, State, and Local Regulations.

14. Purchase Officer

They do right source selection, negotiation, price finalisation and involve in annual rate contract implementation. They liase with Finance personnel to submit vendor invoices and track payments. They develop new vendors which consists of New Vendor identification, evaluation and capability assessment, price assessment and vendor registration. They manage day to day purchase process which includes identification of purchase requirements, issuing RFQ and receiving bids/quotes, preparation of comparative statements, evaluating tax and duties components, techno commercial negotiation, issue of Purchase orders and monitoring & expediting delivery of the material as per the requirement. They carry our vendor performance management based on vendor ratings, vendor audit and monitoring of payment cycles. They follow up with vendor for onsite and offsite material inspection. They receive GRN and verify with PO quantities. They also prepare MIS/Monthly reports and summarise the purchase process data as per the requirement. Negotiation skills and strong interpersonal skills are needed to shine as Purchase officer.

Job Search Tips for Chemical Engineers

• Network with other Chemical Engineers in your field.
• Attend industry events and conferences.
• Update your resume and LinkedIn profile regularly.
• Use online job boards to search for open positions.
• Reach out to recruiters who specialize in Chemical Engineering.

With a little effort, you should be able to find a great job

Must read Chemical Engineering Magazines

Chemical Engineering Magazine It is a monthly magazine published by Access Intelligence LLC since 1902. It has Chemenator column with recent Research & Developments, Events & Announcement section, New Products and Service page and Facts at your finger steps section on specific topic. Chemical Engineering articles are categorized into four namely processing and Handling, Business & Economics, Environment, Health & Safety, Automation & Control and published. Subscription to Chemical Engineering Magazine gives the access to 25+ years archive online.

Chemical Engineering Progress – CEP is the flagship magazine of AIChE with 30,000+ readers all over the world. It brings out articles related to Bioprocessing, Environmental Management, Heat Transfer, Instrumentation & Control, Liquid, Gas & Solids Handling, Materials & Chemicals, Plant Operations, Process Design & development, Process Equipment, Safety, Separations and Simulations & Software. It has Update, New Products, Expo Preview, YPOV – Young Professionals Point of View sections inside it. You can browse the past issues of Chemical Engineering Progress since 2001 on the website.

Hydrocarbon Processing – Hydrocarbon Processing is a monthly magazine published by Gulf Publishing Company. HP News section deliberates the hydrocarbon industry related news including project updates, Expansion plans, Award of contract etc. HP Innovations brings out the latest technology and knowhow related to HPI. HP Events is a catalogue of all Hydrocarbon processing related events scheduled across the globe. HP People allows us to be aware of the changes in Top Management of Chemical Industry.  Apart from this Hydrocarbon Processing Magazine provide real-world case studies and practical information that readers can use to improve their plant operations and the professional job skills.

Chemical Engineering World  – Monthly magazine from the house of Jasubhai Media Pvt. Ltd,. India. Chemical Engineering World magazine comes with Industry News, Featured Articles, Guest Column, Case Study, Products, Projects, Events & Book Shelf. Some of the old issues of the magazine is also available online for free.