CHEMICAL ENGINEER JOB DESCRIPTION

The Chemical Engineer holds a crucial role in manufacturing projects, focusing on optimizing equipment usage, refining process controls, and introducing new technologies. They are responsible for developing process designs in key manufacturing zones, scaling up processes, and initiating innovative technologies. The engineer oversees design enhancements, addresses issues, and ensures the seamless implementation of new manufacturing technology. Proactive and skilled in problem-solving, the ideal candidate, preferably a recent graduate in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, showcases expertise in chemistry, process development, waste management, safety assessment, and data analysis. Their responsibilities include designing chemical process controls, formulating safe procedures, and contributing to innovative solutions in a manufacturing environment.

An Overview of Chemical Engineer Job Description Responsibilities and Qualifications

1. A Chemical Engineer actively contributes to engineering teams, ensuring hardware compliance with material specifications, emphasizing surface finishing processes, and effectively communicating with suppliers for clarification. With less than 2 years of relevant experience, the engineer focuses on reviewing engineering prints, updating standard work, and collaborating on the development of new surface finishing technologies.

Chemical Engineer Roles:

  • Participate on engineering teams as the chemical/materials engineer for quality investigations.
  • Validate hardware conforms to material related specification requirements, with an emphasis on surface finishing special processes.
  • Perform testing to validate special processes to internal and industry specification requirements.
  • Interpret specification requirements and communicate them to suppliers when they ask for clarification.
  • Review and approve deviations and changes to engineering prints related to special processes with an emphasis on surface finishing.
  • Update and create standard work for validating special processes when applicable.
  • Work closely with the Materials Reach Specialist to test and develop new technologies related to surface finishing.
  • Critical areas for training and/or knowledge are engineering technology development and operations support investigations


Chemical Engineer Requirements and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree and less than 2 years prior relevant experience OR
  • In absence of a degree, 6 years of relevant experience is required
  • Must be a U.S.Citizen
  • Experience working with surface finishing processes such as Anodize, Chromate Conversion Coating, Hard Chromium, Cadmium plating, and other electroplating processes.
  • Emphasis of understanding the physical processes and technical requirements of each coating.
  • Experience working with aluminum, magnesium, and ferrous alloys, and their corrosion mechanisms and products.
  • Experience communicating with Suppliers and Customers on a technical level.
  • Six-Sigma certification (or equivalent) and root cause analysis experience.

2. Experienced Chemical Engineer actively contributes to technical teams throughout the product life cycle, specializing in supporting phase/gate processes, introducing new products, and improving existing processes. Responsibilities include coordinating experiments, conducting data analysis, overseeing Emulsion labs, and addressing safety, quality, and technical issues.

Chemical Engineer Functions:

  • Participate on technical resource teams throughout the product life cycle: ideation, development, commercialization, continuous improvement.
  • Support appropriate phase/gate or change management process to enable new products/processes or change existing product/processes.
  • Participate in teams, developing timelines and milestones for each project, and identifying risks and mitigations.
  • Initiate experiments with appropriate design of experiment methodology and data analysis.
  • Coordinate resources in support of experiments, root cause analysis, and other development activities.
  • Review, prioritize, schedule, and communicate workload in the Emulsion labs. 
  • This includes directing and supporting technicians.
  • Escalate/communicate safety, quality, and technical issues.
  • Provide consistent and clear communication to ensure expectations are understood and communicated broadly to technical support.
  • Work with Pilot coating personnel, including providing EHS information on new chemicals.
  • Work with CHC product engineers to transition formulas for wide experiments, if applicable


Chemical Engineer Experience and Requirements:

  • BS in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or similar technical discipline
  • Must have 3+ years of experience in production and/or product development environment.
  • Ability to solve complex problems in a fast-paced environment.
  • Technical writing and data analysis competency.
  • Effective communicator, both technical and non-technical.
  • Ability to interact well with external customers, and internal stakeholders at all levels.
  • Effective decision maker and change leader for a dynamic work environment. Ability to drive change and make necessary adjustments.
  • Good leadership skills
  • Experience in manufacturing product/process engineering.
  • Knowledge of film structure/coating requirements and photographic film testing.
  • Familiar with Imaging Science.
  • Knowledge of either or all the following areas aligned with our corporate strategy:
  • Thin film coating & drying, and, in general, film media development.
  • Experimental / analytical methods and processes related to polymers.
  • Materials property characterization and manipulation.
  • Chemical analytical techniques, such as FTIR, Mass Spectrometry, HPLC, etc.
  • Film web technology: Conveyance, winding, and converting (slitting & chopping).

3. As an Chemical Engineer I, you will collaborate within a team to formulate new solutions for specific components, lead material improvement projects, and conduct experiments. Proficient in safe chemical handling, and with expertise in medical device design, you will contribute to the development, testing, and documentation processes while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards such as FDA regulations and ISO quality systems.

Chemical Engineer Responsibilities I:

  • Use chemistry techniques to come up with new formulations for specific parts and models
  • Lead material improvement initiatives
  • Condust experiments, analyze data and prepare reports/presentations
  • Develop, maintain, and improve the design of new and existing devices
  • Develop and update engineering documents, such as test procedures, reports, and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
  • Evaluate device performance with hands on verification and validation testing
  • Participate in regulatory submission packet assembly for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European markets


Chemical Engineer I Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or equivalent
  • Working knowledge of chemical components, solutions, and mixtures
  • Understanding of safe handling procedures of all chemicals, including hazardous materials
  • Understand, analyze, and troubleshoot complex systems
  • Experience using laboratory equipment
  • Efficient in working in cross-functional teams
  • Effective oral and written communication skills
  • Technical aptitude and detail orientedExperience in Benchtop Testing and Prototyping
  • Familiarity with machine shop equipment
  • Proven history in engineering, including internships and co-ops
  • In-depth knowledge of engineering capstone projects related to medical devices
  • Proficient in technical writing
  • Strong understanding of the medical device design process
  • Working knowledge of manufacturing and quality standards, including FDA regulations and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) quality systems

4. The Chemical Engineer will play an integral part of our team, while gaining real-world experience and developing technical skills in organic chemistry synthesis, experimental design and project management.

Chemical Engineer Details:

  • Developing processes for organic synthesis, reaction scale up and measuring VOC in various ways and places.
  • Acquiring and communicating test data.
  • Assisting project leads with experimental design and methodology.
  • Updating and maintaining data files.
  • Prepare test samples for chemical analysis using wet lab techniques like extractions, dilutions, etc.
  • Analyzing samples on HPLCs, GCMS, VOC sensors and other lab equipment.
  • Follow standard operating procedures
  • Support various R&D Chemistry project.
  • Maintain and organize lab notebooks.
  • Work safely and maintain a clean/safe work area in accordance with company policies and procedures.


Chemical Engineer Education and Experience:

  • BS Chemistry or Chemical Engineering degree program
  • Prior research experience in a lab is a plus.
  • Ability to follow instructions and independently perform tasks.
  • Have excellent written and reading comprehension skills.
  • Must be detailed-oriented and thorough.
  • Able to work within a cross-functional team.
  • Willingness to learn about organic and analytical chemistry.
  • Familiarity with laboratory tools such as pipettes, analytical balances, and glassware.
  • Experience in a wet lab environment.
  • Familiarity with laboratory equipment such as HPLCs, GCMS, and other chemical analysis equipment.

5. The ideal Chemical Engineer for this role should be proactive, adept at problem-solving, and possess knowledge of laboratory equipment and testing methods to coordinate diverse analyses. This position is well-suited for recent college graduates or aspiring chemists seeking stability and long-term growth within a company. A manufacturing company is actively seeking an entry-level candidate with an entrepreneurial mindset for the role of Technical Coordinator, and individuals with degrees in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering are highly preferred.

Chemical Engineer Responsibilities:

  • Support quality control, technical support, production, and process improvement.
  • Work closely with distributors and production teams for the development of experimental applications and troubleshooting.
  • Offer technical support and quality assurance to make recommendations.
  • Interact effectively with vendors and suppliers.
  • Oversee the development of new products from project design to plant scale-up.
  • Ensure that projects are prioritized and completed in a timely fashion.
  • Manage regulatory records keeping and compliance.
  • Stay abreast of the latest materials and process technologies and industry trends; recommend and initiate new information, allowing competitive advantage and market share.
  • Prepare and maintain internal documentation.
  • Comfortable conducting market research and applications.


Chemical Engineer Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or similar scientific discipline.
  • Entry-level position.
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously.
  • Experience with report writing and keeping a detailed and organized lab notebook.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher.

6. The Chemical Engineer will be responsible for executing engineering tasks within crucial Sector Process Design projects. This involves establishing optimal practices for equipment utilization, process sensors, and process controls in significant manufacturing areas. They will actively participate in developing process designs for key manufacturing zones, encompassing the scaling up and initiation of new processes and manufacturing technologies. Additionally, the engineer will identify, implement, and oversee design enhancements while addressing issues and optimizing asset performance. Their role includes supporting project delivery, ensuring the seamless transfer of new manufacturing technology from conceptualization to full-scale implementation. This encompasses the design, specification, installation, and commissioning of process equipment and units across bench, pilot, and manufacturing scales. The engineer will also contribute to generating innovative ideas derived from literature concepts and research, focusing on novel catalyst manufacturing technologies/processes, and substantiate these concepts with business justification.

Chemical Engineer Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Define and conduct development program to assist projects using in-depth knowledge
  • Proactive application of scientific/engineering principles, theory
  • Experimental design with working knowledge in multiple disciplines.
  • Develop and implement technical solutions
  • Experimentation and/or with an application of theoretical/computational/data processing techniques
  • Apply technical knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality results that are aligned with the project deliverables and create value for Clean Air.
  • Generate conceptual design, prepare equipment specification
  • Assist in developing capital justification, install
  • Commission new manufacturing technology units for Sector Process Design projects.
  • Provide trouble-shooting support and drive problem resolution for plants
  • Collect and interpret plant process data and make recommendations for improvements when process sensors are available
  • Design and lead plant experiments to understand problems
  • Identify process design improvement opportunities
  • Pre-reviews, trial document development, data interpretation and conclusions/recommendations
  • Support plant to implement process design improvements based on Management of Change procedures.
  • Support development and implementation of capital projects - new equipment
  • Modification of existing equipment with plant engineering functions,
  • Defining process engineering scope, creating a specification, operating/start-up/shutdown procedures, and factory/site acceptance tests procedure.
  • Contribute to the generation of new ideas and develop project plans that bring value to the business.
  • Support and provide technical inputs to other research programs funded by the business as required.
  • Ensure work carried out by you are in full compliance with all local Environment, Health and safety policies and hazard procedures.
  • Ensure processes developed, process changes made and designed equipment
  • Compliant to JM policies and procedures, and are assessed using risk and hazard assessment techniques
  • Participate in process risk and hazard assessments.
  • Produce project plans and programs
  • Ensure that project plans meet business requirements and timings
  • Adapting and responding to changed requirements appropriately.
  • Plan horizon of own work/activities over a monthly time frame, manage timings
  • Accountable for multiple projects being completed by self.
  • Prioritise workload and projects with input from manager and subsequently prioritise tasks
  • Timings required within the project team based on knowledge and experience
  • Responsible for projects with a total capital budget of less than 100k GBP.
  • Provide regular updates of projects in writing or presentation and ensure project plans for ongoing work
  • Communicated to all relevant parties regularly and appropriately.
  • Provide technical reports and presentations of results, and maintain appropriate records of results obtained.
  • Maintain good communication and develop strong working relationships with Regional Process, Engineering, Product Development and Production groups.
  • Establish and maintain good contact with suppliers and be capable of assessing opportunities for their use within the business.
  • Degree or equivalent in Chemical Engineering or relevant engineering discipline
  • Good level of working experience in the chemical industry
  • Experience in supporting development and implementation of new technology or processes
  • Must be comfortable and capable of both working in a chemical plant and in the laboratory
  • Good level of knowledge of core Chemical / Process Engineering technical competencies
  • Drives towards results and detail-oriented
  • Committed to continuous learning and improvement
  • Developing professional engineering expertise, with a desire to achieve or has achieved Chartered status.


Chemical Engineer Skills, Experience, Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in Chemistry with 0-2 years of experience.
  • Ability in generating innovative solutions to complex engineering issues
  • Identifying and developing projects in investigating novel ways to deal with problems and opportunities.
  • Ability in using analytical skills to evaluate data and information to solve challenging problems
  • Using analysis to decide on next steps.

7. The Chemical Engineer position involves managing the design and operation of experimental units for natural gas conversion, focusing on high-temperature processes. The role includes integrating experimental results into process models, overseeing project timelines, and documenting key technical outcomes for communication to both technical and non-technical staff.

Chemical Engineer Accountabilities:

  • Manage and participate in the design, construction, and operation of targeted experimental units to provide information required to design integrated process units for the conversion of natural gas into solid carbon and hydrogen.
  • Operation of high temperature (ca. 1000 °C), bench top natural gas conversion systems integrated with laboratory analytics.
  • Integration of experimental results into process models used to guide intuition of process development.
  • Manage experiments and project timelines with technical staff.
  • Document and report all project activities and key technical outcomes/learnings to technical and non-technical staff.


Chemical Engineer Knowledge And Abilities:

  • 3+ years of experience in a relevant field or discipline.
  • B.S., M.S. in Chemical Engineering or related fields.
  • Background in design and operation of high temperature processing equipment
  • Experience with high temperature and/or high-pressure chemical conversion systems operations or modelling.
  • Hands-on operation and construction of generic lab equipment (i.e. furnaces, mass flow controllers, Swagelok fittings) preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to follow instructions, handle delicate parts and equipment, and work with hazardous materials.
  • Some experience or understanding of in-situ and ex-situ lab analytics (i.e. GC, MS, SEM) preferred.