How to become a Chemical Engineer

Chemical engineers design the processes, systems, and equipment required to produce and utilise chemical substances. They are responsible for designing the procedures, processes, and equipment necessary to manufacture, manipulate, and consume chemicals and their byproducts. In addition, they focus on the chemical, biochemical, and physical processes involved in transforming chemical substances into valuable products.

A chemical engineer`s work is necessary for producing and transporting raw materials into finished goods by applying the principles of chemistry, mathematics, biology and physics. They work on efficiently transforming chemicals for use in a safe, economically feasible, and environmentally friendly manner. They can choose to specialise in developing specific products such as nanomaterials or utilisation of specific processes such as oxidation.

• Research and develop new or improved chemical production processes and equipment
• Communicate the results of the analysis and research to the management
• Devise specifications for processes, facilities, and tests
• Establish safety procedures and standards necessary while handling potentially dangerous chemicals
• Supervise the work of the technical staff 
• Continually monitor the performance of the processes
• Provide recommendations to improve industrial operations while ensuring quality and efficiency is maintained
• Provide technical support and address any quality and safety issues that arise
• Provide estimates of production costs to the management

Engineers in the chemical industry should be well-versed in analytical chemistry methods as well as process optimisation technologies, for example. Chemical engineers must have strong leadership abilities and the capacity to operate as a member of a diverse team to succeed. They should be able to write clearly and concisely to provide thorough and accurate technical reports.

Chemical engineers must have excellent communication skills to collaborate successfully with manufacturing professionals and the production team and negotiate technical requirements and budgets with upper management. These individuals will need to be able to problem-solve and think analytically to troubleshoot any safety, performance, or manufacturing process concerns as soon as they arise in order to be effective. They should be aware of the health and safety precautions that must be taken while handling chemicals and the procedures that must be followed in the event of exposure to such chemicals. For these professions, the ability to think creatively and innovatively is essential in order to investigate new materials, production procedures, and unique applications of engineering concepts.

In order to enrol into a Bachelor’s program at one of the best chemical engineering colleges, aspirants are expected to clear the JEE main and subsequently, the JEE Advance exam which makes the aspirant eligible to apply at any university in India. It is a challenging exam to crack that requires hard work as well as rigorous and consistent preparation. Some states have their own entrance exams that are admissible in their respective universities. Many educational institutes conduct their own entrance tests. 

With a relevant educational background, appealing attributes and preferably the experience gained during an internship, aspirants may apply for the following chemical engineering jobs:

• Combustion engineers
• Petroleum engineers
• smelting engineers 
• Water treatment engineers
• Production engineers
• Biochemical engineers 
• Process control engineers and 
• Pharmaceutical engineers.