Chemical Engineering Career Pathways

OvErviEw
Chemical Engineering offers you diverse career options in areas such chemical processing, environmental management, food and beverage manufacture, minerals and mining, oil and gas refining, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Specialisations
As a chemical engineer, you could work in the following specialisations:* Bioprocess
Pharmaceuticals and the food and drink industries.

Environmental
Waste and water treatment, environmental regulations, bioremediation and recycling.

Petroleum
Production of oil, gas and LPG from onshore and offshore fields.

Minerals
Major minerals processing industries such as alumina/aluminium, steel, copper, lead, uranium and gold.

Process Control
Instrumentation and control systems which enable a manufacturing process to run smoothly, safely and efficiently.

Chemical Process
Fertiliser industry, including pesticides and herbicides, caustic soda, glass, explosives and specialty chemicals.

Paper
Production of paper and paper products such as tissues and towelling.

Project Delivery
Construction of a process plant, converting the design into an efficient, safe operating plant.
*Information provided by the Australian Government Job Guide 2011

Combustion
Large industrial furnaces such as those for steel manufacture or for power generation from coal or gas.

Petrochemicals
Conversion of oil and gas into plastics, synthetic rubber and similar end uses.

Chemical Engineering 1

Engineering Pathways (Chemical)

School leavers Melbourne Model degrees (3 years)
Bachelor of Biomedicine
Majors include:

School leavers
Any Bachelors Degree Must include Linear Algebra and Calculus 2 or equivalents, along with science relevant to intended specialisation.

Bachelor of Environments
Majors include:

Bachelor of Commerce
Sequences in the following Engineering areas:

Bachelor of Science
Majors include:

Exit to employment (without professional accreditation)

Bioengineering Systems

Civil Systems Geomatics Physical systems

Bioengineering Systems

Chemical Systems
Civil Systems Computing and Software Systems Electrical Systems Mechanical Systems Physical Systems

Chemical Systems
Civil Systems Computing and Software Systems Electrical Systems Geomatics Mechanical Systems

Master of Engineering (2 years)

Specialisations: Biomedical Biomolecular Civil Electrical Environmental Geomatics Mechanical Mechatronics Software Structural

Chemical

Note: Duration of Master of Engineering will vary from 2-3years depending on amount of credit obtained from prior study

Exit to employment with professional accreditation

Note: While the study stream highlighted above is considered the traditional pathway, alternative course plans can achieve the same qualification outcome. Please speak to a University of Melbourne course advisor to discuss your options.

Career Planning
For university students, career planning is about choosing a career path related to your field of study and preparing for employment. While engineering can lead to specific occupations it can also give you the foundation for a variety of career paths.
Choosing an occupation, getting that first graduate job, and growing in your job will require planning, self awareness, flexibility and a forward-looking attitude to help manage the personal transitions, as well as the technological and economic changes of the future. With so many factors to consider an effective employment plan will include strategies for enhancing career awareness & self awareness, and can be done in a 4-Step process, starting with: 1. Doing some self-assessment to clarify interests and strengths 2. Gathering information and exploring careers that appeal to you and match your interests, abilities and values using myFuture (accessible to the public) or Adult Directions (via Online Career Tools for current University of Melbourne students) 3. Learning about the job market by investigating Work Experience opportunities, browsing company/ industry websites and talking to lots of people in your field of interest using the informational interviewing technique 4. Developing job search skills preparing your job applications and preparing for interviews using the Online Career Tools or booking a Career Consultation through Careers Online (both services available to current University of Melbourne students).

Employment
Sectors and industries
Bioremediation Chemical Manufacturing Consulting Electronics Food and Beverage Production Government Departments, Agencies and Municipal Authorities Industrial Minerals and Energy Petrochemicals Petroleum Pharmaceutical Research and Development Tertiary Education Waste and Water Treatment

2 Chemical Engineering

Employers
A sample of employers who actively recruit our Chemical Engineering graduates includes: AECOM Alcoa Anglo American Coal Australian Paper Barrick Beca Pty Ltd BHP Billiton BOC Boral BP Australia Chevron CSL Limited Defence Science and Technology Organisation ExxonMobil Fluor Australia Fonterra General Electric GHD Golder Associates Halliburton HRL Technology Jacobs Engineering KPMG Kraft Foods Lion Nathan National Foods Melbourne Water Minmetals Resources Newmont Nufarm Orica Limited OneSteel OzMinerals Parsons Brinckerhoff Qenos Rio Tinto Schlumberger Shell Uhde Shedden URS Australia Wood Group Woodside Worley Parsons

Resources
The Careers and Jobs Guide on the Library website has been developed for current University of Melbourne students in conjunction with Careers & Employment. This guide will help you find quality library resources to help with: Career planning Researching industries Researching employers Employability skills Job hunting Resumes and job applications Interview preparation

co-oPERaTiVE PRogRams

Enable students to alternate study terms with paid work and offer hands-on experience contributing to a real project, skills development and a chance to network with professionals in the field. Application opening and closing dates for co-operative programs are varied.
cadETshiPs

Types of employment
Work Experience
There are many forms of work experience. With the introduction of the Fair Work Act 2009, all work experience must be paid unless the placement forms part of a university course. For engineering students, work experience could take the form of an industry-based final year project or a paid placement (such as those listed below). Voluntary work for not-for profit agencies is another way of gaining valuable work experience but these placements must adhere to the Vocational Placements & Student Volunteering Policy.
VacaTion PRogRams

Employed positions offered to students or graduates, designed to provide specific training or mentoring. Cadetships can be full- or part-time and vary from formalised, structured schemes to informal arrangements between an individual and an organisation. Application opening and closing dates are varied.

graduate Employment Programs

Include substantial training, development and support. Some programs include rotations through various departments within the organisation. Usually offered by large organisations and government departments, an increasing number of smaller organisations are now offering graduate employment programs. Many organisations offer a number of programs some for specific or technical roles, and others which are broader based. Graduate programs vary in length, from 1-3 years. Competition is strong and final year students must apply in March or April for commencement in January or February of the following year. opportunities to get exposure to industry through the melbourne school of Engineering: Connect with industry through the curriculum, via: student projects that are partnered with industry guest lectures led by industry leaders site visits hosted by key organisations career mentoring programs

For a more extensive listing including current employment opportunities, University of Melbourne students can visit Careers Online, our online jobs portal. It is also important to attend events like the Graduate Careers Fair in Semester 1 and student-run Industry Nights to become familiar with who the key employers are and the dates of their recruiting campaigns.

Are degree-related, structured paid work placements usually undertaken by students at the end of their penultimate year of study. These can often lead to a graduate position, so competition for placements is intense. Winter vacation programs are available from time to time.
inTERnshiPs

IInternships are supervised, paid work placements arranged between the employer and student, sometimes brokered by the university. Ranging from a few weeks part-time to multiple semesters full-time, internships occur in a field relevant to the students qualification. Application opening and closing dates for internships are varied.

Chemical Engineering 3

Career Progression (trajectories) Chemical

Graduate Graduate Chemical Engineer Graduate Environmental Chemical Engineer Graduate Biochemical Engineer Graduate Process Engineer Chemical Research Engineer 3-5 years experience Chemical Engineer Chemical Food Process Engineer Chemical Process Engineer Chemical Engineer Bioremediation Chemical Engineer Mining Chemical Engineer Petroleum/Petrochemicals Chemical Engineer Pharmaceuticals Chemical Engineer Waste/ Water Management Chemical/Process Engineer Food Industry Chemical/Process Engineer Hydrocarbons Environmental Chemical Engineer Fuels Engineer Inventory Analyst Line Manager Plastics Engineer Project/Design Engineer Process Modelling Chemical Engineer Process Supervisor Process Support Technologist Refinery Process Engineer Technical Innovation Specialist Mining and Resources 10 years Principal Chemical Engineer Process Controls Superintendent Process Superintendent Production Manager Project Manager Senior Chemical Engineer Senior Environmental Chemical Engineer Senior Chemical Process Engineer

Careers in Research
If you are passionate about a certain field and would like to advance your research skills, enrolling in a research higher degree (RHD) may be a great option for you. RHDs enhance your ability to problem solve, think autonomously and creatively, and analyse. Careers in research are diverse and may include: academic positions at universities; policy-making or research positions at public sector organisations; private sector research and development projects; and self-employed consulting positions on technical or policy issues in your area of expertise.

Alternative Careers
An engineering degree offers you excellent technical and design expertise, but also equips you with the foundations for a diverse range of positions. Over a third of our graduates choose to move into nontraditional engineering roles, including: Management consulting Finance, economics and banking Marketing and communications Business analysis Project management Technical writing Government, policy and intellectual property management. For current University of Melbourne students, Careers Online advertises numerous generalist graduate jobs during the peak recruitment season (March-April of your final year). You will often find that many state and federal government departments and defence agencies will actively recruit for engineers as they value their high-end problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Amey Higgins commenced in her role as Inventory Analyst for Kraft Foods, after completing three rotations within their graduate program: The breadth of experience I have received in my short time with the company has been great. Being in my fourth role (and fourth site), I have already amassed a wealth of experience and knowledge across the Kraft business in different functions, including continuous improvement, process improvement, quality, general operations, and now logistics. Kraft Foods Limited is the worlds second largest food company. Amey is involved in reviewing the companys inventory policies across its factories and distribution centres in Australia and New Zealand, helping to meet their 2012 inventory targets.

During the course of her degree, Amey undertook vacation work at WorleyParsons in their Process Engineering department, which provided an excellent insight to careers in the oil and gas industry and vital work experience: Securing vacation work undoubtedly helped me to attain a permanent position at the conclusion of my studies. Amey values the problem-solving skills she developed during her studies, which she continues to draw upon in her career: The ability to apply rational and logical problem-solving skills to a real-life business problem is a vital tool, which I learnt exclusively from my Engineering education.

AMEY HIGGINS Inventory Analyst Customer Service and Logistics, Kraft Foods Study Area: Chemical Engineering

4 Chemical Engineering

Salary Information
According to a survey conducted in 2011 by Engineers Australia, gross mean base salary figures for chemical engineers across the private and public sectors are as follows: New graduate: 2-3 years: 4-10 years: 10-15 years: Over 15 years: $63,192 $76,911 $100,144 $137,577 $171,057

Job Outlook
According to the Australian Governments Job Outlook website*: Job Prospects for Chemical Engineering Professionals are good. Employment for Chemical Engineering Professionals to 2015-2016 is expected to grow very strongly. Employment rose very strongly in the last five years, and in the long-term (ten years). The internet vacancy level for Chemical Engineering Professionals is moderate. The mix of industries employing Chemical Engineering Professionals is very favourable for employment growth prospects.
* The Data on Job Outlook is updated on a yearly basis and is compiled from national statistics which may not reflect either regional variations or more recent changes in employment conditions.

Graduate Attributes for Employment

As a graduate chemical engineer you will have: Opportunities to interact with industry professionals through guest lectures, field and project work A sound fundamental understanding of the technical skills and principles of chemical engineering and their application to complex, open-ended engineering tasks and problems Generic skills, including management, communication, problem-solving and design and innovation in chemical engineering The educational and professional standards of the Institution of Chemical Engineers

(IChemE), Engineers Australia and EURACE with which the course is accredited Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them General knowledge Understanding of the business environment Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and the community at large Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, as a team leader or manager as well as an effective team member Ability to manage information and documentation Capacity for lifelong learning and professional development.

Barry Lo studied chemical engineering at the University of Melbourne and now works as a chemical engineer at URS Australia, an environmental and engineering consultancy that provides services to a wide range of businesses and communities within Australia and internationally: The projects are quite varied and often challenging, requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Ive been involved with environmental site assessments, remediation engineering design, and waste management. I especially enjoy the team environment and excitement of finding new and innovative solutions. Barry values the skills he developed during his degree, which have served him well in his current role: Graduating from Melbourne gave me the

skills to succeed, in particular problem solving and the ability to work under pressure. During his study, Barry was awarded a scholarship with world leading integrated aluminium company, Alcoa, where he undertook a 12-week work placement at its Victorian Operations: Although Alcoa was a different industry to the one I work in now, I believe it was a real stepping stone to life after university. The experience I gained during vacation work gave me invaluable confidence and exposure to industry practices, particularly with respect to health and safety.

BARRY LO Chemical Engineer, URS Australia Study Area: Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering 5

As a Process Support Technologist for Shell, Monique Corban works in the oil and gas industry, providing technical support and guidance to optimise performance and efficiency of process units. Monique works in multi-disciplined teams that aim to improve site-wide safety, performance and reliability, which involves assisting in the development and execution of short and long-term projects: The variety of work every day presents a new challenge and I have the chance to use my problem-solving skills. I also have the opportunity to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and a wide range of skills and knowledge.

Monique studied chemical engineering at The University of Melbourne and values the technical expertise developed: Graduating from Melbourne gave me a solid base of fundamental engineering principles, and an engineering degree that is well respected for its technical depth. Monique also enjoyed the great opportunities to network with industry and encouragement to gain work experience through vacation work. She completed two internships, with Uhde Shedden and Shell, over consecutive summers: The Chemical Engineering Department has strong ties with both large and small engineering companies and does all it can to ensure that students engage with industry through campus networking events and vacation work.

MONIQUE CORBAN Process Support Technologist, Shell Study Area: Chemical Engineering

Useful Links
Job Search Sites
Careers Online Engineer Jobs Engineering Career Engineering Jobs Australia Grad Connection H2Oz Just Engineers Job Search Australia/Engineers Mining Careers MyCareer Chemical Engineering Oil Careers Seek Chemical Engineering

Licensing and registration

There is no formal system of regulation for engineers throughout Australia. Engineering services are regulated under a variety of Acts in ad hoc areas, many of which relate to engineers in the building and construction industry. Engineers in Queensland are required by legislation to be registered through the Board of Professional Engineers in Queensland (BPEQ). In other states and

territories engineers operate under the selfregulatory system operated by the National Engineering Registration Board (NERB).

International Students/Graduates
Working in Victoria: An Engineers Guide

Overseas Qualifications Assessment Team (OSQA)

Engineers Australia

Recruiters
Recruitment and Consulting Services Associations Member Index Seek recruiter search

Professional Associations
Engineers Australia APESMA Australian Water Association Institution of Chemical Engineers Consult Australia

Chemical Engineering Pathways. Authorised by the Industry Relations Manager, Melbourne School of Engineering. Published by The Melbourne School of Engineering, July 2012.

Copyright: Copyright University of Melbourne 2012. Copyright in this publication is owned by the University and no part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the University.

CRICOS provider code 00116K. Disclaimer: The University has used its best endeavours to ensure that material contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. The University gives no warranty and accepts no

responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and the University reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time at its absolute discretion.