r/ChemicalEngineering • • 6h ago

Research Pattern in the Industry

5 Upvotes

I’ve noticed this pattern in the industry where technicians hate on engineers, and engineers with Bachelor’s degree hate on those with PhD. I’d say the latter is more common in my experience. Why’s that the case?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 16h ago

Student Is it Necessary to Take Orgo for ChemeE?

21 Upvotes

My school has a combined major for Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering (not concentration) which doesn't require organic chemistry. Should I still take it even if it's not in my academic track and if I don't, would it look bad when applying to jobs?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 10h ago

Career Advice ChemE looking to break into AI roles

2 Upvotes

I graduated with a BS in engineering and currently work for one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. Started as Process eng and moved to digital transformation/ai enablement.

if anyone wants to chat about the process/how they can prepare for more digital/ai centric roles. let's chat.

also if you had the same experience as me in industry. i would also be interested in hearing your story/learning from you as well


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 16h ago

Research Jobs after PhD in Chemical Engineering

8 Upvotes

I am having a tough time deciding whether to go for a PhD at Imperial. How easily can one secure a job after a PhD? Would appreciate answers specific to a PhD in Chemical Engineering focused on Carbon Capture.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 4h ago

Career Advice Questions about petroleum industry

1 Upvotes

I had a few questions about petroleum engineering (the petroleum engineering subreddit doesnt allow these type of questions)

  1. Will petroleum engineering still exist in the near future or far future? I have heard and read this argument go both ways with people talking about energy demand and transition to nuclear.

  2. Is the job isolating or dangerous (read about some stats on death rates and cancer)?

  3. Is there a lot of manual labor?

  4. What are the differences between a chemical vs petroleum bachelors degree? Can both still work in the same field, is the pay ceiling different? Is one more versatile then the other?

Thanks


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 5h ago

Software FE Chemical Prep: PrepFE vs. PPI – Which Is Better?

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1 Upvotes

r/ChemicalEngineering • • 14h ago

Career Advice Smurfit Westrock Jacksonville

3 Upvotes

I accepted an internship for the containerboard mills division in Jacksonville for next summer. I was wondering if anyone has done an internship or worked their before? Trying to get an idea of what its like and what to expect.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 14h ago

Student Currently an upcoming senior in biochemistry and thinking of double majoring in chemical engineering

3 Upvotes

I have about 21 credits left until I complete my biochemistry degree and have been looking into internships and the outlook makes me wonder. There are some internships out there but there are much fewer compared to chemical engineering internships. I made a what if plan for adding chemical engineering and I will need to complete 64 more credits but a lot of them have prerequisites so, many of my semesters I will only be taking 10 credits ( All my math prerequisites were completed). Whereas i will add my biochemistry courses into the semesters to be full time. I was wondering just staying 2 years longer to double major and this will give me more time on looking for internships in both majors but preferably in chemical engineering. I do also want to go into grad school for bio molecular engineering or chemical engineering masters and this will make me more competitive (given with the extra time I will also be more proactive in research in chemical engineering). Is this a good idea or any advice on this double major since i already have little left on finishing my current major and dont want my previous course to go to waste if i simply switch to chemical engineering. Additionally my prospective job goal is to be in pharmaceutical manufacturing or something related to it.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 20h ago

Career Advice Fresher jobs.

4 Upvotes

Has anyone ever got a job in Chemical engineering as a fresher in india because I have tried every way linkedin naukri.com indeed asked for referral through linkedin they asked for experience. I don't know what to do exactly.

I seriously need a job, my family needs me.

Btw I am a female it was necessary to mention because many companies point that out and say we don't hire females in production and process engineering roles require tier1-2 college or experience. Please help me


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Career Advice Senior In ChemE and I’m scared.

11 Upvotes

I’m currently a senior chemical engineering student working toward my bachelor's degree. Due to health issues I was unable to obtain any internships during my summers. I’m about to graduate in May and I feel like I have no clue what to expect. I’m frankly not even sure I’ll be able to get a job at all. I’m scared and have no clue what I’m doing. Is there any hope?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 15h ago

Chemistry Anyone here have experience with fume hoods or scrubbers for small-scale gold refining?

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0 Upvotes

r/ChemicalEngineering • • 16h ago

Student HRRL !!!!

0 Upvotes

Guys any idea when HRRL will declare the result of E1 exam held on 20th July!?!? There's no update anywhere. Kisi ko kuch bhi idea h?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Career Advice I am constantly being asked to do more things and it never ends. Are all jobs like this?

38 Upvotes

I got my first position in a safety/environmental role, I would say it hasn't been the best experience. My original boss quit shortly after and no one really firgured out what my role would be. I have no formal job description and I would say I didn't get any rigorous training.

Some of the things I do:

Monthly environmental reporting for WT, this includes investigating any time we have something abnormal occur.

Monthly reporting of leaks

I handle action items in our system and reassign them as needed, create/delete them

Annual 10 Force report (this one is a lot)

Schedule/oversee stack testing, RATAs, and tune ups

Also, we lost our head of security and for a year now I have been the head of security on top of my job. I am responsible for a MARSEC facility and must do a monthly fenceline audit, monthly audit of our vehicle inspections, had to get a TWIC card, responsible for handling the contract for our officers, program the badges, deal with any other bullshit with security.

Our secretary left too recently. Im now responsible for part of her job with preparing documents for editing and communicating changes of documents to staff

I got asked to do a foam study to determine the amount of firefighting foam our site requires.

I got asked to determine if there is a way to reduce emissions from some of our storage tanks.

Now I got asked to request a Dust Hazard Analysis from contractors and to learn myself and understand all the applicable codes and software associated with this.

I'm also doing a major PHA of a section of the plant, though I feel fucking terrible at leading it as I have no process engineering background.

I'm also working on incident investigations

There's just other random shit too I cant remember it all. Every time someone brings a new chemical on site I have to upload and approve the SDS to our system. We also had monthly fenceline monitoring I was doing too. I also just have more monthly audits I am required to do.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Career Advice Modeling experience

13 Upvotes

As a process engineer at a polypropylene plant supporting operations, I have noticed that we seldom use simulation software like Aspen or HYSYS. When we do, it is mostly basic fluid properties, hydraulic calculations, or heat loss estimates—never a full H&MB. Who typically handles this level of modeling? Does this match your experience? Is it mostly specialized firms that perform this work? Am I missing something?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Career Advice Advice for my wife

6 Upvotes

My wife is interested in becoming a Quality Control Analyst in a pharmaceutical or vitamin manufacturing company, and she would like to know what it’s like. If anyone could give a message about classes they took in college and what a day to day experience would be like working in this career area please share so she can get a better understanding. Thank you if you take the time to do it and we appreciate any and all information you can give about this.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 22h ago

Career Advice Need some advice on copper sulfate for copper stripping

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1 Upvotes

r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Student Feeling like chem e college is somewhat limiting

19 Upvotes

I'm a ChemE first year at TU/e in the Netherlands and have always been top of my class, best scores in the IB, APs, SAT you name it, but I ended up in not the best uni as we couldn't pay 70k a year tuition (sorry US/UK). anyways I feel stuck first year, I realize its still first quarter but I wished to ask those who have been succesful in this career line any advice for me to seek in research or any jobs maybe which even with my little experience would be open to taking me in and padding my CV and most importantly gaining experience or bettering my chances for a more succesful career in the future. Academics is the least of it once again I am simply struggling with opportunity, and don't know where I should start looking.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Design Tried-and-Tested Plant Designs Versus High-Tech

13 Upvotes

I was recently reading the book of the late John-Harvey Jones (ICI).

When it came to commissioning new plants one thing which really infuriated him was requests from the "business side" of operations to commission "high-tech" plants of sometimes using untested designs.

He said he much preferred plant designs which were "tried and tested" over those designs using the latest, but untested, technology. This was the 1970/80s.

In chemical plant design, do you think there is still this antagonism between tried-and-tested versus high-tech but still untested?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Design Relief Valve Question

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2 Upvotes

I have done so many relief valves and should know this but here we go.

My department uses Aspen and Aspen Flarenet to size relief valves, flarenet being used for common headers.

In Aspen the line sizing tool gives a “Calculated DP” of 12.78 psi.

In Flarenet there are 2 pressure losses “Piping pressure drop” and “Piping non recoverable pressure drop”. Now the pressure drop is a little different at 14.86 psi, which I’m okay with as the two programs don’t have the exact same fittings. However the non recoverable is 6.85 psi which is lower than my max of 7.5 at 3% of set pressure.

API 520 Part 2 refers to non recoverable pressure loss being below 3%.

Do I follow the non recoverable and call it a day? Why does regular Aspen not give that option. Why does flarenet make the pressure drop red when it’s above 3% although it’s the non recoverable that matters.

I just learned what non recoverable is.

Thank you very much


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Design Aspen Hysys Certified User Exam Application

2 Upvotes

I've tried registering for the Aspen Certified User exam multiple times in the past, but I still haven't received any confirmation email, so I haven't been able to take the exam.
Has anyone experienced the same issue or knows how to resolve it? I'd really appreciate any advice on what I should do next.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Troubleshooting Improve Young Modulus in sintered piece.

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone! A quick question: I'm making a polyethylene part (a cylinder 10 mm in diameter and 100 mm long) using thermal sintering. Does anyone know a trick to increase the part's flexural modulus? Maybe an additive? I have already tried increasing the sintering time and temperature, but there is no improvement.


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Student Mass Transfer

8 Upvotes

Just started my 3rd year in ChE, and Mass Transfer is on the schedule this semester.
For anyone who’s survived it: any tips, trickiest topics to watch out for?


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 2d ago

Research Thinking about a small side business selling SiC microchannel reactors and plates, looking for a reality check

3 Upvotes

I’m considering starting a small side business selling silicon carbide microchannel reactors and replacement reaction plates, sourced from manufacturers in mainland China. I’d like feedback from people who have worked with flow chemistry equipment or imported industrial equipment.

Questions:

  1. Is this realistic for a small operation? Who typically buys SiC reactors or spare plates, and how do they choose suppliers?

  2. For anyone who has imported process equipment from China: what were the biggest problems with quality control, export and import paperwork, tariffs, or shipping?

  3. What would you want from a supplier of this equipment, such as certifications, material test reports, or after-sales support?

Any lessons learned, even short ones, are very welcome. Thanks!


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 2d ago

Student Exxon onsite interview

30 Upvotes

Hi, I am graduating this May and have an interview scheduled this week, and they are flying me to Texas. I originally met Exxon at the career fair at my college and then at another interview in person. It's for the wells engineering position. Has anyone else gone through a similar process and knows what they ask for in the in-person interview?

Edit: It's like a 3-hour block they sectioned out for my time there


r/ChemicalEngineering • • 1d ago

Software Aspen Hysys v14 installation problem

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I'm a final year refining engineering student and I'm currently trying to install aspen hysys v14 for light works and my final year project thesis, everything goes well, I successfully generate the 3310 license or so, install the setup and copy past the STGX file in the aspen shared in the common files (program x86) file, I then open the aspen app but it's says that there was a license error so what I'm I doing wrong and how I can I fix it, thank you.