Professional Engineer, Engineer
Interest in synthesizing information to conduct research into the development and improvement of chemical engineering processes, reactions and materials, and to 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 and emissions
Interest in precision working to test chemical processing, and associated plants and equipment, to evaluate chemical process technology and equipment, and to determine production specifications
Interest in supervising technicians, technologists and other engineers; and in overseeing the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing units and processing plants
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
In research laboratories, chemists, biochemists and materials scientists develop metal and chemical products such as drugs, detergents, fertilizers, plastics, fuels and fabrics. Chemical engineers work with others to develop the processes required to produce these products commercially. They adapt and optimize the small-scale production used in the laboratory to large-scale, commercial and industrial production.
In general, chemical engineers:
Chemical engineers may work in one or more of the following areas.
Chemical engineers who work in production may come in contact with hazardous machinery and chemicals on a regular basis, or be required to climb process equipment up to ten stories high. Lifting up to 20 kilograms may be required.
Chemical engineers may be on call after hours. The work can be stressful when processes do not work as planned.
Chemical engineers need the following characteristics:
They should enjoy being innovative, doing precise work, making decisions and directing the work of others.
The minimum education requirement for chemical engineers is a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. A graduate degree usually is required for consulting, research or university teaching positions.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
Professional Engineers design, construct, evaluate, advise, monitor and report on the performance of materials, equipment, systems, works, processes and structures.
Under Alberta's Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, you must be a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) to practice as a professional engineer. You do not have to be registered if you work under the direct supervision of a professional engineer and do not call yourself a professional engineer or use the word engineer in your job title.
Registration as a Professional Engineer requires: (1) a 4-year bachelor's degree in a recognized engineering program and at least 4 years of acceptable work experience under the supervision of a Professional Engineer, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, (2) a minimum of 3 acceptable references and (3) successful completion of an approved examination in law, ethics and professionalism. A new Provisional Member category has been introduced. For official, detailed information about registration requirements, visit APEGA's website or contact APEGA.
Engineers who are registered and in good standing with a regulatory organization elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for registration in Alberta if registered engineers in the 2 jurisdictions have similar responsibilities and competencies. For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory? and the Alberta regulatory authority (below).
To find more information on the certification process for internationally educated engineers, see Professional Engineer Licensing Process on AlbertaCanada.com.
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta
1500 Scotia One, 10060 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T5J 4A2
Phone number: 780-426-3990
Toll-free phone number (within North America): 1-800-661-7020
Fax: 780-426-1877
Email: email@apega.ca
Website: www.apega.ca
Below-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.
Chemical engineers work in offices, industrial plants, field and laboratory environments, wherever there is a process of conversion (for example, in pulp and paper manufacturing, petroleum refining, oil sands extraction, energy conversion, polymer processing, metal extraction and refining, power generation, food processing, adhesives and coatings production). Some chemical engineers are employed by instrumentation and control companies, engineering design companies, or environmental companies and agencies.
A typical first job after graduation is in process development. In these initial positions, junior engineers usually work on diverse assignments under the supervision of more senior engineers to gain experience and learn company procedures. With experience, chemical engineers may progress from production management positions responsible for a single unit or product to operations management positions responsible for large industrial complexes.
In Alberta, 78% of people employed as chemical engineers work in the following industries:
The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
Over 3,000 Albertans are employed in the Chemical engineers occupational group. This group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.3% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 39 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $28.00 | $57.69 | $41.13 | $42.40 |
| Overall | $39.42 | $71.38 | $58.32 | $57.69 |
| Top | $39.42 | $90.67 | $77.31 | $77.66 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) website: www.apega.ca
Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) website: www.cheminst.ca
American Institute for Chemical Engineering (AIChE) website: www.aiche.org
International Corrosion Society website: www.nace.org
For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.
Updated Mar 20, 2014. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.