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Construction Engineer, Design Engineer, Plant Engineer, Process Engineer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
| Starting | $32.14 |
|---|---|
| Overall | $50.53 |
| Top | $84.37 |
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.
Chemists, biochemists and materials scientists work in research labs to develop metal and chemical products. These can include drugs, detergents, fertilizers, plastics, fuels and fabrics. Chemical engineers work on teams to develop processes to make these products at a large scale. They adapt the small-scale processes used in the lab to make these products for commercial and industrial use.
In general, chemical engineers:
Chemical engineers may work in the following areas:
When designing plants, they consider cost, safety and the environment. They often work with chemists, financial experts, technologists and other types of engineers. Chemical engineers are often the ones who lead risk assessments of new projects.
Chemical engineers who work in production may often come in contact with hazardous machinery and chemicals. They may also have to climb process equipment up to 10 stories high.
Chemical engineers may be on call after hours. The work can be stressful when processes do not work as planned.
Chemical engineers need to possess:
They should enjoy innovating, 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 [pdf], you must be a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) to practice as a Professional Engineer or engage in the practice of engineering. You do not have to register 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 in Alberta requires successful completion of:
A new Provisional Member category has been introduced. For official, detailed information about registration requirements, contact APEGA.
Engineers who are registered and in good standing with a regulatory organization elsewhere in Canada are eligible for registration in Alberta if the 2 jurisdictions require similar responsibilities and competencies.
For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory in Canada? and APEGA.
To learn about certification for internationally educated engineers, see Professional Engineer Registration Process.
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA)
1500 Scotia One, 10060 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4A2
Canada
Call: 780-426-3990
Toll-free in North America: 1-800-661-7020
Email: email@apega.ca
Website: www.apega.ca
Chemical engineers work in offices, industrial plants, in the field and in labs. They work wherever a process converts raw materials into a product. This includes industries that make pulp and paper, extract oil, refine petroleum and convert energy. It also includes industries that process polymer, extract and refine metals, supply power, process food, and produce adhesives and coatings. Some chemical engineers work for companies that make instruments and controls, produce engineering designs, or do environmental work.
A typical first job after graduation is in process development. In early jobs, junior engineers often work on a range of assignments. Supervised by more senior engineers, they gain experience and learn company procedures. With experience, they may progress to managing production of a single unit or product. From there, they may move on to managing operations of a large industrial complex.
In Alberta, 78% of people employed as chemical engineers work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the C034: Chemical Engineers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.3% from 2016 to 2020. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 39 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
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 | $25.28 | $50.00 | $32.14 | $28.85 |
| Overall | $32.88 | $63.81 | $50.53 | $49.88 |
| Top | $42.79 | $105.96 | $84.37 | $101.09 |
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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.
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $98,693 |
|---|---|
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $96,817 |
American Institute for Chemical Engineering (AIChE) website: www.aiche.org
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) website: www.apega.ca
Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE) website: www.cheminst.ca/about/cic/csche
Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) website: www.cheminst.ca
NACE Institute website: www.naceinstitute.org
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) website: www.spe.org
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Updated Mar 22, 2018. 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.