Job description Chemical Engineer in the Southwest Region
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Find out what work is like for a chemical engineer in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Chemical engineers (NOC 21320).

Chemical engineers

Description

Chemical engineers research, design, and develop chemical processes and equipment, oversee the operation and maintenance of industrial chemical, plastics, pharmaceutical, resource, pulp and paper, and food processing plants and perform duties related to chemical quality control, environmental protection and biochemical or biotechnical engineering. They are employed in a wide range of manufacturing and processing industries, consulting firms, government, research and educational institutions.

Work week duration

Chemical engineers usually work more than 40 hours per week.
More than 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Chemical engineers have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Conduct economic and technical feasibility studies in areas related to chemical, petroleum, pulp and paper, food or other processing industries
  • Conduct research into the development or improvement of chemical engineering processes, reactions and materials
  • Evaluate chemical process technology and equipment and determine production specifications
  • Design and test chemical processing and associated plants and equipment
  • Oversee the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing units or processing plants
  • Establish and conduct quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
  • Prepare contract documents and evaluate tenders for the process aspects of industrial construction
  • Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers
  • May work in an administrative capacity, for example, in the development of guidelines and specifications for the handling of dangerous chemicals, environmental protection, or standards for foods, materials and consumer goods.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Chemical engineers are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Consulting businesses
  • Processing industries
  • Manufacturing industries
  • Research institutions
  • Education institutions
  • Governments

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Dangerous chemical substances
  • Standard safety equipment

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 21320), and a list of similar occupations:

  • adhesives engineer
  • biochemical engineer
  • biotechnical engineer
  • chemical process control engineer
  • chemical process engineer
  • chemical project engineer
  • environmental chemical engineer
  • industrial hygiene engineer
  • industrial waste treatment engineer
  • liquid fuels engineer
  • petrochemical engineer
  • polymer engineer
  • pulp and paper engineer
  • refinery engineer
  • waste treatment engineer

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Chemical engineers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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