Solutions can come down to a molecule. Critical issues regarding energy efficiency, the environment and economics can be traced back to chemical processes. What is the most efficient way to extract oil and gas or reclaim a tailings pond? How does a company improve wastewater recycling? You have plenty of solutions to bring to the table. If you like chemistry and collaboration, this role might be for you.
Chemical process engineers research, design and develop chemical processes and equipment to expand operations, improve efficiencies, reduce emissions and resolve issues in the energy industry.
These engineers also oversee the operation, performance, optimization and maintenance of petroleum production, processing, upgrading, liquefaction and refining.
I'm interested in a career in
- Sub-sector Oil sands, Exploration and production
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary $71,000 to $175,000
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
- Sub-sector Carbon capture, utilization and storage
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A chemical process engineer considering a career change from oil and natural gas to the CCUS sub-sector of cleantech may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. Process design experience may be required and a worker may need to gain familiarity with the processes involved in CCUS, which differ from oil and natural gas development.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to cleantech include:
- Primarily indoor/office work (CCUS)
- Safety-sensitive environment (CCUS)
- Transition to a similar level (CCUS)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
- Sub-sector Engineering, design and procurement
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as a chemical process engineer in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the engineering, design and procurement project life cycle phase of industrial construction and maintenance in energy.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to industrial construction and maintenance include:
- Primarily indoor/office work (engineering, design and procurement)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (engineering, design and procurement)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (engineering, design and procurement)
- Transition to a similar level (engineering, design and procurement)
- Urban location (engineering, design and procurement)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A chemical process engineer considering a career change from oil and natural gas to digitization and automation in energy may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. A worker may be required to gain experience with process system modelling software.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to digitization and automation include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Agile/flexible approach to work
- Less formal organizational structure
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
- Career development fostered/supported
- Urban location
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A chemical process engineer considering a career change from oil and natural gas to LNG facility operation may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. A worker may need to understand LNG processes, as they differ from oil and natural gas development. Experience with process system modelling software may also be required.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to LNG include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A chemical process engineer considering a career change from oil and natural gas to petrochemicals and refining may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. A worker may need to understand petrochemicals and refining processes, as they differ from oil and natural gas development. Experience with process system modelling software may also be required.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to petrochemicals and refining include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
- Sub-sector Geothermal
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A chemical process engineer considering a career change from oil and natural gas to the geothermal sub-sector of renewables may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. A worker may need to understand geothermal processes, as they differ from oil and natural gas development. Experience with process system modelling software may also be required.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Monitoring the performance of processes throughout the stages of production
- Performing tests on processes throughout all stages of production
- Troubleshooting problems with chemical manufacturing processes
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Establishing quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems or process related topics
Education
- A post-secondary degree in chemical engineering, computer process control, process engineering or a related discipline from an institution accredited by Engineers Canada is typically required, although some positions may require a graduate degree
Certifications
- Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements
- Incident and accident investigation
Licensing
- To obtain a licence as a professional engineer (P. Eng), you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to renewables include:
- Primarily indoor/office work (geothermal)
- Safety-sensitive environment (geothermal)
- Initial transition to a lower level to gain experience (geothermal)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Safety-sensitive environment
Your chemistry skills help find solutions. Your communication and analytical skills make you an important part of the team.
- Critical thinking
- Engineering and technology
- Production and processing
- Analyzing operations
- Analyzing systems
- Quality control analysis
- Evaluating systems
- Designing technology
- Judgment and decision making
- Chemistry
