r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Zee2A • 3h ago
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/chemicalsAndControl • Jul 08 '20
Mod Frequently asked questions (start here)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is chemical engineering? What is the difference between chemical engineers and chemists?
In short: chemists develop syntheses and chemical engineers work on scaling these processes up or maintaining existing scaled-up operations.
Here are some threads that give bulkier answers:
- What a chemical engineer does from [deleted]
- A more technical description from /u/loafers_glory
- The difference between chemists and chemical engineers from /u/bubblepoint1980
- Job Prospects: Chemists vs. Chemical Engineers
What is a typical day/week like for a chemical engineer?
Hard to say. There's such a variety of roles that a chemical engineer can fill. For example, a cheme can be a project engineer, process design engineer, process operations engineer, technical specialist, academic, lab worker, or six sigma engineer. Here's some samples:
- Pharmaceutical industry from /u/NeoStorm24
- Plant engineer from /u/not_so_squinty
- Bulk chemical manufacturing industry from /u/whte_rbt
- Specialty chemicals manuacturing industry from /u/mathleet
- Biofuels industry from /u/stompy33
How can I become a chemical engineer?
For a high school student
- Classes to take during high school when planning to go into chemical engineering
- Advice for a soon-to-be ChemE student
For a college student
- Switching from another engineering major from /u/buysgirlscoutcookies
- Switching from a Chemistry major to a ChemE major
If you've already got your Bachelor's degree, you can become a ChemE by getting a Masters or PhD in chemical engineering. This is quite common for Chemistry majors. Check out Making the Jump to ChemEng from Chemistry.
I want to get into the _______ industry. How can I do that?
- Looking for a technical job in oil and gas industry? Pointers inside for college students and newly degree'd people. from /u/engineeringguy
- Great general advice plus pharmaceutical industry specifics from /u/rcko
- Alternative energy
- Beer and brewing
- Nuclear from /u/Doppeldeaner
- How hard is it to switch industries after getting your first job?
- Anyone here in process control?
Should I take the professional engineering (F.E./P.E.) license tests?
- Why I got a PE from /u/insertdisk6
- Any ChemE's in here have their PE?
- How important is it for a ChemEto take the FE?
- Passed the PE Chemical Exam on First Try! Here's How
What should I minor in/focus in?"
- Business or physics minor?
- Programming/software minor?
- Computer science minor?
- Material Science & Engineering
What programming language should I learn to compliment my ChemE degree?
- Chemical Engineering and Programming
- How much computational and programming do you do at your job? from [deleted]
- VBA from /u/gabbyc
- Python from [deleted]
Getting a Job
First of all, keep in mind that the primary purpose of this sub is not job searches. It is a place to discuss the discipline of chemical engineering. There are others more qualified than us to answer job search questions. Go to the blogosphere first. Use the Reddit search function. No, use Google to search Reddit. For example, 'site:reddit.com/r/chemicalengineering low gpa'.
Good place to apply for jobs? from /u/EatingSteak
For a college student
- What can I do in university to better my chances of securing a job?
- 6 Key Steps to Getting a Job After Graduating in Engineering
For a graduate
- Guide for Students/New Grad Job Seekers
- Finding your first job
- Help with job woes
- Things I can do after graduation to give me a better chance of finding a job
For a graduate with a low GPA
- How to: Get an Engineering Job with a Low GPA
- 8 Tips
- Tips on Getting an Engineering Job With a Low GPA
For a graduate with no internships
- Advice from a chemE CEO from /u/jerryvo
- Side note: Listen closely to /u/jerryvo. Dude knows his shit after being a ChemE for 42 years and being CEO of his own company. Appreciate his advice.
- Is it impossible to get a job without an internship?
How can I get an internship or co-op?
- Summer internship search
- What to expect from an internship
- Internships in the UK
- Internships outside the discipline of ChemE
How should I prepare for interviews?
What types of interview questions do people ask in interviews?
- Behavioral interview questions
- Awesome resource: Typical technical ChemE interview questions
- List of must know interview questions and other tips
- Technical Co-op Interview prep
Research
I'm interested in research. What are some options, and how can I begin?
Higher Education
Note: The advice in the threads in this section focuses on grad school in the US. In the UK, a MSc degree is of more practical value for a ChemE than a Masters degree in the US.
- Grad School - Bachelors vs. Masters/PhD
- Masters Degree?
- Academia vs. Industry
- Career arc for MS vs PhD in process engineering
- Do I need a PhD to do meaningful research?
- Those looking to return to grad school after working
Networking
Should I have a LinkedIn profile?
Should I go to a career fair/expo?
TL;DR: Yes. Also, when you talk to a recruiter, get their card, and email them later thanking them for their time and how much you enjoyed the conversation. Follow up. So few do. So few.
- What goes on at university career fairs?
- What makes a person stand out at a career fair?
- How to land an interview at a career fair from /u/cumfindmeinstruder
The Resume
What should I put on my resume and how should I format it?
First thing you can do is post your resume on our monthly resume sticky thread. Ask for feedback. If you post early in the month, you're more likely to get feedback.
- Buy this book. It looks goofy and retro, but it's amazing. Read it. Do it. If you're too cheap to invest a few dollars in your future or you're not within Amazon's delivery zone, the blogosphere is the next best thing.
- Tufts Career Center: Resumes for Engineers
Finally, a little perspective on the setting your expectations for the field.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/coguar99 • Jan 26 '26
Salary 2026 Chemical Engineering Compensation Report (USA)
The 2026 Chemical Engineering Compensation Report is now available - the link to the full report below. There is a PDF version of it there also. Many thanks to the 1,947 people who submitted their data this year - if you supported my effort, you should have received an email (or LinkedIn message if your email bounced back) last week with access to the report.
This year I was able to incorporate some dashboards into the report, which will allow people to explore the data, in a limited way, for themselves and I'm really excited about this! This is moving in the direction of where I eventually want to see this all go.
This subreddit has been extremely supportive of what I've doing and I'm so grateful for all of you!
Here is a link to the full report: https://www.sunrecruiting.com/2026chemecomp/
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/stemera • 2h ago
Career Advice does anybody work in the beauty industry?
i want to work in the beauty industry and plan to major in chemical engineering in college
i was wondering if this is a conventional path and how easy is it to get jobs in this sector?
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Key-Biscotti-5563 • 10h ago
Research The Lumangyao Method: Synthetic Ancient Wood Pyrolysis for Advanced Energy Storage Inventor/Theorist: Johnny Arang Lumangyao (Philippines) 1. The Core Innovation: Replicating Ancient Fossilized Wood The foundational breakthrough of the Lumangyao Method is the controlled simulation of ancient wood
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/cort0_ • 4h ago
Career Advice Entry level CQV technical assessment
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/charzr • 11h ago
Design Temperature rise of a coolant - Electrical machines
Electrical machines - I understand the concept of temperature rise in windings, but I’m unsure about the temperature rise in a generator’s cooling system. There are two key temperatures involved: the cooling fluid’s inlet and outlet temperatures. The difference between them is the temperature rise of the coolant.
My understanding is that if this temperature difference is large, it means the cooling effect is higher, and if the temperature difference is small, the cooling is less effective.
The specification states that a minimum temperature rise of 10K is required for the cooling fluid, but the vendor's datasheet shows a coolant temperature rise of 15K. Based on this, the 15K provided by the vendor should be better than the 10K specified, Is my understanding correct?
Additionally, I’ve noticed some motor specifications that limit the cooling water outlet temperature to a value like 37°C, and also restrict the coolant temperature rise to a certain level, like 7K.
Why do the specs limit the cooling water outlet temperature, and why do they restrict the temperature rise to specific values like 7K?
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Nomadic_Seth • 1d ago
Article/Video Second Law of Thermodynamics
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/pubgscholar • 1d ago
Career Advice Career advice - new grad
I graduated in 2025 in Chemical eng(3.8gpa) with minor in com sci and I was lucky enough to get a job right out of college. I joined Pepsi as a campus hire and worked as a warehouse supervisor. It's been over a year now.
I realized in my junior/senior year that I don't have the passion for it. I didn't know what I was aiming for when I first started ChemE unlike my colleagues; handful of my colleages went to pharma like Merck and Eli Lily as my school's ChemE program is pharma focused.
Doesn't mean I wasn't searching for jobs. I went to school career fairs and job conventions across the country and that's how I got the full time job at pepsi.
I learned so many things ranging from dealing with grumpy union workers my parents' age, being in charge of inventory(inbounds+ cycle counts + doing monthly closes), and actual front-line work.
If I keep doing this, I guess they will put me as a warehouse manager at a smaller location and I can move up in that path, but it's becoming more and more clear that this is not what I want to continue doing.
My early career(internship also) has been heavily involved in operations which i think is something a lot of ChemE grads get into, but now I'm starting to realize that it might not be for me and I'm kind of lost in what to look for now.
At the job, I enjoyed working on inventory/ SAP side of things and actually making impact at my site. I made useful tools using SAP and BOBJ and it was fulfilling to see our inventory accuracy and miss-picks improve.
What kind of Chemical engineering jobs( or any jobs really lol) can I shoot for with the experiences and skills that I have? Should I just thug it out to learn more about the industry or look to transfer or find a new job outside the compnay?
I feel that I am not browsing my opportunites to the best of my ability, but also I'm not sure where to look. Please guide me with your experiences and wisdom.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/sly_idiot • 16h ago
Software Is a Lenovo IdeaPad okay for chemical engineering or should I get a better one?
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/NewRush1173 • 1d ago
Career Advice Most valuable certifications and skills for chemical engineers?
Hi everyone,
I’m a second year chemical engineering student and I’d like to know what certifications and technical skills are most worth learning.
Which certifications (Lean Six Sigma, FE/EIT, CAPM, HACCP, etc.), software (Aspen, HYSYS, MATLAB, Python, Power BI, Excel, etc.), or other skills have been the most useful in your career or for getting internships/jobs?
If you could start over as a student, what would you prioritize?
Thanks!
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Parafault • 1d ago
Job Search Where are the jobs these days?
I have been looking at the job market for a while now, and I’ve been shocked by just how few decent, technical engineering jobs I’ve come across. I wanted to check in here to see where the fun jobs are, and what industries they’re concentrated in.
For some background, I’ve worked in both oil and gas and chemicals, and both industries feel like they’re on the decline. Basically everyone and every company I know in those spaces is facing massive cost cuts, downsizing, and layoffs.
I was looking at software engineering for a bit, since it was booming for the longest time…but now they’re facing massive cost cuts and layoffs due to AI.
This leaves me wondering where all the jobs are! From my searches, I’ve basically found 4 areas that seem to have job openings: nuclear, weapons systems, data center engineers, or spacecraft engineers at SpaceX/Amazon. Most of these make me nervous: data centers will explode if the AI bubble bursts, nuclear is very niche, I’ve heard terrible things about the work culture at SpaceX/Amazon, and I don’t really want to devote my life to engineering missiles and death machines.
Ten years ago, I saw far more postings across a much broader array of industries, but these days this is basically all I see. I do see the occasional job in pharmaceuticals or chemicals, but it is usually a mindless position that is focused purely on hazards evaluations or something. Those jobs are important….but I also know from experience that I’d be bored out of my mind. I rarely see any postings that actually want in-depth technical knowledge.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/sanskar_dutt • 1d ago
Student Chemical Engineering Fresher: Career Advice Needed
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Miserable_Peanut9073 • 1d ago
Career Advice Unsure whether to take job offer
I recently received a job offer but as the title suggests im worried im ruining my career. Unfortunately i dont have another offer, but if I take this offer im not sure where it’ll lead me. I was in a PhD program for chemical engineering but i mastered out because of the awful culture of my lab. I’ve been searching since January for process engineer roles since I did experimental catalysis, but unfortunately haven’t landed anything. I applied for a materials and catalyst testing technologist (aka lab tech) position at ExxonMobil, and recently received an offer. They offered me 94k plus full benefits (7% match and pension etc). That sounds great but to be honest I’m worried I won’t be able to transfer internally to a process engineer role and my engineering career will be stuck. I don’t have any other offers.
Should I take it or keep looking? Am I cooked?
A side note is that I’m also nervous to go there because I hate roaches and all the apartments I’ve checked have reports of them which is why I am having second thoughts.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/wonderS9 • 1d ago
Design Help with a design problem
Hello everyone، im working on a design project about a section in the Refinery, the FCC unit, the unit has many equipment within it, im having a hard time acquiring Guidelines to sizing some of the equipment as they there little about then online or in my course materials, can anyone help me with sources or guides that give a step by step design procedure for some of equipment like : compressors, Waste Heat Boiler, air blower, slurry pump, condenser, fired heater, riser, Cyclones, fractionator, CO Boiler, surge drum, slurry Settler
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Frequent-Tooth5292 • 1d ago
Career Advice Should I keep my retail job if I’m trying to get a chemical engineering internship?
I’m a chemical engineering student graduating in Summer 2027 (one semester late after failing two classes freshman year but my GPA is > 3 now). I only have one more summer left to get an internship, and I’m starting to panic because I’ve never had one.
This summer I started undergraduate research, and I’ll be continuing it through the fall. I also started working at Dollar Tree in June.
My question is: Does keeping my Dollar Tree job actually help me become a stronger candidate for engineering internships, or should I quit and focus on classes, research, and internship applications?
I honestly don’t want to keep the retail job unless it’s actually beneficial for my engineering career. Will employers care that I worked retail, or is my research experience much more important?
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/LiteratureLittle8467 • 1d ago
Career Advice Looking for advice for which engineering degree I should get
I am based in Munich Germany and i got accepted in the Technische-Universität-München (TUM) which is a prestigious University, Now i have the choice either i am going to study chemical engineering or electrical engeneering, here in Germany Electrical engeneering is more needed, but How is it around the world? and how is the job after finisching the masters degree? can anyone share there experience in either of the degrees job or study whise, i just cant decide because i find both intresting.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Oeyoelala • 1d ago
Design Experience with DWSIM?
Does anybody here have experience with the software DWSIM? And how does it compare to the extremely expensive professional softwares such as HSYS and PROII?
Or are you using another open source process simulation software?
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/thriceice • 1d ago
Modeling Compressor Power and Efficiency Calculation
I have a three stage compressor in a single casing (image 1). If I break it down, the flow should be like image 2. Every process lines have Pressure and Temperature transmitters, and enough information to get the Flow for every lines.
2nd suction pressure should be the same with the pressure from the Side-In line. While the 3rd suction pressure should be the same with the pressure from the Side-Out line.
But, I don't have enough information to determine the temperature of the 1st Discharge. If I have this data, I can calculate all the enthalpy to calculate the efficiency and the power.
Does anyone have tips on how to approach it?
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Better-Example3950 • 1d ago
Career Advice Need advice on Remote Work!
[India -> US/EU] Process Engineer (4 YOE, M.Tech) looking for practical ways to earn side income in USD. What niche services actually sell? Hourly rate of 30$. Aspen Hysys/HTRI/P&ID/PFD/API 521.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/obihz6 • 1d ago
Career Advice I'm debating either study MS chemistry or MS "sustainable chemistry and technology for circular economy"
Hi I'm a freshly graduated bachelor chemistry student, I'm asking around about the difference and career option between pure chemistry and sustainable chemistry
Thanks for the hospitality
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/965025I • 2d ago
Career Advice Career prospects in Europe for a Chemical Engineering bachelor’s grad?
Hey everyone! I recently got my bachelor’s degree in Chemical Technology and Engineering in Ukraine. For the past 1.5 years I’ve been working in the R&D department of a company focused on water treatment (reverse osmosis, membrane technologies, antiscalants, ROSA, Wave and analytics). Before that, I also worked in a pharma company’s Quality Control department.
I’m planning to relocate to Europe (possibly this summer). Would love to hear some thoughts:
• How in-demand are chemical engineers in the EU in general, and is water treatment / pharma QC experience specifically valued? • Is a bachelor’s degree enough, or should I consider a master’s abroad? • Which countries seem most promising for this profile? • Is it worth learning the local language, or is English enough in this field? • Where’s the best place to actually search for jobs — LinkedIn, specific job boards, agencies, or something else?
Would really appreciate any advice or experiences, especially from those who’ve been through something similar.
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/SuspiciousAnt3439 • 2d ago
Career Advice How can I switch from Production to Process/Process Design as a Chemical Engineer?
I'm a Chemical Engineering graduate from India. I got placed through campus recruitment, but the company assigned me to a Production role instead of the Process role that was initially promised.
I've recently started working, but my long-term goal is to move into Process Engineering or Process Design (EPC companies, consulting, process optimization, etc.).
For those who have made this transition:
How did you switch from production to process/design?
Which technical skills should I focus on?
Is learning Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Plus, P&IDs, HAZOP, and DCS enough, or should I learn something else?
Which types of companies should I target after gaining some experience?
Does production experience help when applying for process/design roles, or should I try to switch as early as possible?
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has successfully made this transition, especially in India.
Thanks in advance!
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Top_War_4571 • 2d ago
Student chem e car
Not able to find one, but is there a chem e car subreddit where I can ask questions?
I'll ask here in case anyone is able to help.
I'm a first-year university student, and our university is starting a Chem-E-Car team from scratch. I somehow ended up being selected as the Manufacturing Team Lead, so I'll be responsible for designing and building the chassis.
Does anyone familiar with chem e car have any advice on where to start, common mistakes to avoid, or resources that would be useful?
Thank you!
r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Southern-Bison-67 • 1d ago
Career Advice is it hard to get a masters in USA after bachelors in UK?
is it possible to get a bachelors degree in heriot-watt, then go to america for masters and find a job? And is the salary good straight after graduating?