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Chemical engineers

OaSIS code 21320.00

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.

Overview

Also known as

  • 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

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • 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.

Additional information

  • There is considerable mobility between chemical engineering specializations at the less senior levels.
  • Supervisory and senior positions in this unit group require experience.
  • Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
  • Chemical engineers work closely with chemists and other scientists and engineers and mobility is possible between some fields of specialization.
  • Chemical engineers may specialize in the products and processes of a particular industry such as pulp and paper manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, energy processing, plastics, metal extraction and refining, or adhesives and coatings production. They may also specialize in functional areas of various industries such as process control, pollution control or fermentation processes.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Engineering managers (20010)
  • Chemists (21101)
  • Civil engineers (21300)
  • Electrical and electronics engineers (21310)
  • Metallurgical and materials engineers (21322)
  • Petroleum engineers (21332)
  • Other professional engineers (21399)
  • Agricultural engineer (in 21399.01 Agricultural and bio-resource engineers)
  • Biomedical engineer (in 21399.02 Biomedical engineers)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

2 – Natural and applied sciences and related occupations

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

21 – Professional occupations in natural and applied sciences

Sub-major group

213 – Professional occupations in engineering

Minor group

2132 – Manufacturing and processing engineers

Unit group

21320 – Chemical engineers

Occupational profile

21320.00 – Chemical engineers

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Analyzing Data or Information
5 - Highest Level
Developing Technical Instructions
5 - Highest Level
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics
5 - Highest Level
Getting Information
5 - Highest Level
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
5 - Highest Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
3 - Moderate amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
3 - More than 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Standing
Duration
2 - Less than half the time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
3 - About half the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
4 - Highly important
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day

Workplaces/employers

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

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Categorization Flexibility
5 - Highest Level
Deductive Reasoning
5 - Highest Level
Fluency of Ideas
5 - Highest Level
Inductive Reasoning
5 - Highest Level
Information Ordering
5 - Highest Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Critical Thinking
5 - Highest Level
Decision Making
5 - Highest Level
Evaluation
5 - Highest Level
Numeracy
5 - Highest Level
Oral Communication: Oral Comprehension
5 - Highest Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Analytical Thinking
5 - Extremely important
Attention to Detail
5 - Extremely important
Innovativeness
5 - Extremely important
Active Learning
4 - Highly important
Adaptability
4 - Highly important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: IRE

Investigative (I)

Investigative occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the observation and systematic or creative investigation of physical, biological, or cultural phenomena. These occupations require an extensive amount of thinking and frequently involve working with ideas, searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic (R)

Realistic occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the explicit, ordered or systematic manipulation of objects, tools, machines and animals. Many of these occupations do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Enterprising (E)

Enterprising occupations are characterized by the dominance of action-oriented activities to attain organizational or self-interest goals. They frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects, influencing, leading or mobilizing people, making decisions, and sometimes require risk taking and dealing with business.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
  • A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
  • Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
  • Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Chemistry
3 - Advanced Level
Languages
3 - Advanced Level
Mathematics
3 - Advanced Level
Technical Design
3 - Advanced Level
Business Management
2 - Intermediate Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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