Last Updated On 10 Aug, 2018
Chemical engineering is one of the emerging careers that deal with designing and supervision of chemical reactions in an industry for the purpose of energy production or human development. In the current scenario, chemical engineering is significant as there is a global shift towards renewable resources such as hydroelectric and solar. These fields require innovation and development to make sure that these resources can meet our energy needs. The major responsibility of the chemical engineers is to apply the principles of physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology to solve the problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, drugs, food and many other products. The design equipment and processes for large-scale manufacturing and direct facility operations.
For taking up Bachelor’s degree courses in Chemical Engineering/ Chemistry, students must have passed Class 12 in science stream.
For a master’s course, Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/ Chemical Engineering or associated field is mandatory.
For taking up research in the field of chemistry/ chemistry, students must have a Master’s degree in chemistry/ chemical engineering or associated fields.
Students must clear entrance exam like JEE Main/ JEE Advanced, state-level engineering entrance exams, GATE etc. for the admission to Chemical Engineering course.
For B.Sc course in Chemistry, there will be no entrance test in most of the colleges in India.
Chemical Engineers are required for diverse jobs. The following are some of the job profiles that chemical engineers can take up after obtaining the necessary skills.
Analytical Chemist: An analytical chemist is a scientist who studies and tests the chemical compositions and behaviours of varied substances.
Energy Manager: An energy manager monitors the usage of energy across the industry or organisation. He/ She also undertake energy audits.
Environmental Engineer: These engineers use the principles of biology, chemistry, soil science and engineering to develop solutions to environmental problems. They also involved in different initiatives to improve recycling, public health, waste disposal and water & air pollution control.
Manufacturing Engineer: the major responsibility of manufacturing engineer is to evaluate manufacturing processes by designing and conducting research programmes. They also apply their knowledge of various activities involved in the manufacturing process.
Materials Engineer: These engineers specialise in metals, ceramics or plastics. They also develop composite materials and study the atomic structure of materials.
Mining Engineer: Mining engineers play a vital role in extracting the underground resources such as minerals, oil, gas and metals.
Production Manager: The major responsibility of the production managers is to assess project and resource requirements. They also plan and organise production schedules.
Lecturer: Chemical engineers can also become lectures in universities and colleges after attaining the necessary qualifications.
Since chemical engineering covers a wide range of industrial sectors, the employment opportunities for chemical engineers are diverse. Any company that is involved in the conversion of raw materials into a product require chemical engineers. Chemical engineers can find major employment opportunities in
Oil refineries,
Gas and oil extraction,
Power generation industries,
Pharmaceuticals,
Fine and heavy chemical industries,
Agrochemical industries
Fibres and Polymer Industries
Beverage Industries
Universities, Colleges and Schools
Some of the top companies and industries require skilled chemical engineers for various positions. The list of top recruiting companies for chemical engineers can be checked below.
Reliance Industries
Essar Oil Limited
Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals
Arofine Polymers
Reliance Petroleum Limited
Colour-Chem Ltd
Gujarat Gas Company Limited
Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd
Godavari Fertilisers & Chemicals
Chemical engineers in diverse sectors earn a satisfactory salary. Most companies pay more for highly skilled and experienced chemical engineers and researchers. The average salary structure of chemical engineers is detailed below.
Job Profile | Starting Salary per annum (in INR) | Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR) | Senior Level Salary per annum (In INR) |
Analytical Chemist | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 3,00,000 | Rs. 4,00,000 |
Energy Manager | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 4,00,000 | Rs. 6,00,000 |
Environmental Engineer | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 3,67,000 | Rs. 4,50,000 |
Manufacturing Engineer | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 4,68,000 | Rs. 6,00,000 |
Materials Engineer | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 3,74,000 | Rs. 5,00,000 |
Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company.
Students can rely on the following books to prepare for competitive exams and enhance knowledge in the field of chemical engineering.
Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering by Warren L McCabe
Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering by H Scott Fogler
Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Hedrick C Van Ness
Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes by Richard M Felder
Chemical Reaction Engineering by Octave Levenspiel
Introduction to Chemical Engineering by WL Badger
Apart from annual salary, chemical engineers are provided with various health benefits, retirement pension etc.
Chemical engineers are capable of contributing meaningful advancements to society.
Hazardous working conditions
Lack of free time
For entry-level positions in chemical engineering, one must possess a Bachelor’s degree in the respective field. Students must have a strong background in Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. A master’s degree in chemical engineering or chemistry will open up new avenues in research and higher posts.
Subjects Combination: Students must have studied Physics, Biology/ Mathematics and Chemistry as the major subjects in Class 12.
Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.
George Edward Davis is the founding father of chemical engineering discipline.
The demand for chemical engineers in the coming decade is expected to grow by 6%.
Jeff Bezos is the current richest engineer in the world who has a current fortune worth of 112 Billion USD.
Typically, one can call himself/herself a chemical engineer after completing a four-year bachelor’s degree study.
The average salary of a chemical engineer lies in the range of INR 2 LPA and INR 6 LPA.
No, chemical engineering branch is not the king of engineering. The king of engineering is the mechanical branch.
Finding a job for a chemical engineer is both as hard and as easy it is for other engineers where the efforts of a candidate and how he/she logically tackles the work of finding a job matters.
Yes, the chemical engineering jobs are among the top 10 highest paying engineering jobs in India.
Majority of the chemical engineers are quite satisfied with their jobs and salaries.
Yes, chemical engineers are offered excellent opportunities and the salary offered to them is also quite attractive.
You could become a Software Engineer , a Civil Engineer , a Communication Engineer , a Mechanical Engineer , an Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer after studying M.Tech. (Master of Technology).
You could become an Aeronautical Engineer , a Mining Engineer , an Electronics Engineer , an Instrumentation Engineer after studying B.Tech+M.Tech Dual Degree.
You could become an Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer , a Petroleum Engineer , a Civil Engineer , an Architect , a Software Engineer after studying B.Tech. (Bachelor of Technology).