(84a) Chemical Engineering Careers At Independent Research Institutes

Independent research institute is established to serve industries, government, and the public in areas that need assistant in problems identification, improvement, and implementation.  Chemical Engineers are always faced with challenging science and technology questions related to chemical reactions, process control and development, and scaling up laboratory bench scale to pilot plant studies.   In order for chemical reactions to work properly for producing desired products, the professionals will understand the basic theories and involve in controlling the chemicals in proper quantity ratio as feedstock.  In addition, other associated factors such as catalyst selection and catalyst development, controlling the processes reaction temperature and pressure, and ensuring the processes are probably designed, evaluated and safe to operate.

Chemical engineers at independent research institutes mostly serve the manufacturing industries varied from petroleum refining, natural gas processing, chemical intermediates, alternative fuels, renewable fuels, and pharmaceutical industries.   The Chemical Engineer professionals will offer services in process development and implementation, troubleshooting, pilot plant operation, and small-scale laboratory tests.  The Institutes must have extensive, real world expertise in chemistry, chemical engineering, as well as other specialties such as corrosion engineering and safety engineering.

To support these areas of research and development, the institutes must have extensive laboratory facilities in hydrocarbon, organic, and inorganic chemistry for analysis, synthesis and development.  In addition, the professionals must be equipped with knowledge in lab tests, pilot plant and demonstration scale operations, chemical and refining process modeling, process flow diagram, safety review, and debottlenecking, etc. Communication skill and team work are also necessary for a successful Chemical Engineer career.