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Career Details
17-2041.00 - Chemical Engineers
17-2041.00 - Chemical Engineers
Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Key Facts

Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
34,300
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
34,900
Estimate
Change in Employment
600.0
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+1.8%
Estimate
Tasks

Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
- Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- Determine most effective arrangement of operations such as mixing, crushing, heat transfer, distillation, and drying.
- Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
- Direct activities of workers who operate or are engaged in constructing and improving absorption, evaporation, or electromagnetic equipment.
- Perform laboratory studies of steps in manufacture of new products and test proposed processes in small-scale operation, such as a pilot plant.
- Develop processes to separate components of liquids or gases or generate electrical currents, using controlled chemical processes.
- Conduct research to develop new and improved chemical manufacturing processes.
- Design measurement and control systems for chemical plants based on data collected in laboratory experiments and in pilot plant operations.
- Design and plan layout of equipment.
- Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
- Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Perform tests and monitor performance of processes throughout stages of production to determine degree of control over variables such as temperature, density, specific gravity, and pressure.
- Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge

Knowledge
The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools

Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology

Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications

Licensing

Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs

Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.
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