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Process Engineer (Chemical)

Process or chemical engineers design, develop and operate processes and equipment that are used to change raw materials into useful products. Chemical engineering covers a wide variety of jobs such as environmental engineering, biochemical engineering and waste engineering, and chemical engineers are often known as process engineers to indicate the wide range of jobs that they do.

Tasks & duties

Process or chemical engineers may do some or all of the following:

research new processes and products
design, develop and use new materials
research, design, develop or improve processes and equipment in environmental, waste water, biochemical or industrial areas
select appropriate equipment and services to carry out processes
examine the effects of industrial processes on the environment
develop methods to control pollution
study the efficiency and cost of factories and associated equipment
prepare and present reports and proposals
manage technicians and operating staff

Skills & knowledge

Process or chemical engineers need to have:

knowledge of engineering
knowledge of maths and physics
knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology
knowledge of environmental issues
problem-solving skills
analytical skills
planning and organisational skills
people skills
managerial skills
communication skills
writing skills for producing reports

Entry requirements

To become a process or chemical engineer you need a Bachelor of Technology or a Bachelor of Engineering specialising in:

chemical and process
chemical and materials
materials and process
chemical technology

To work in research and development, a higher degree, such as a Master of Engineering or relevant PhD, is required.

The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) accredits engineering degrees, which are recgonised in many other countries.

Secondary education

NCEA Level 3 (or Bursary) maths with calculus, chemistry and physics is strongly recommended. Students may be able to take bridging courses if they do not have all the required subjects.

Training on the job

Further skills are gained on the job, and engineers may attend courses, seminars, workshops and conferences to keep their skills up to date. They are expected to read journals and be aware of any regulation changes.

The Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) runs courses for engineers' continuing professional development.

Registration

After completing qualifications, gaining appropriate work experience (usually four to five years) and completing a practical competency assessment, engineers may apply to the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) to become a chartered professional engineer (CPEng).

To maintain registration, chartered engineers must show that they are competent to practise at least every five years, and usually need to display evidence of undertaking professional development.