Process Engineer: Job Description

Process Engineer develops and optimizes economical industrial processes

to make the huge range of products on which modern society depends. A
Process Engineer may work in small, medium and large businesses. The
work is concerned with chemical and biochemical processes in which raw
materials undergo change, and involves scaling up processes from the
laboratory into the processing plant. Responsibilities involve designing
equipment, understanding the reactions taking place, installing control
systems, and starting, running and upgrading the processes.
Environmental protection and health and safety aspects are also
significant concerns.
Work is project-orientated and you may be working on a number of
projects, all at various different stages, at any given time. Several process
engineering companies act as consultancies.
Typical work activities include:
Assessing processes for their relevance, and assessing the adequacy

of engineering equipment;
Reviewing existing data (also lab analysis) to see if more research

and information need to be collated;

Designing,

installing and commissioning new production units,

monitoring modifications and upgrades, and troubleshooting
existing processes;

Applying the principles of mass, momentum and heat transfer to

process and equipment design, including conceptual, scheme and

detail design;
Conducting

process

development

experiments

to

scale

in

laboratory;
Preparing reports, flow diagrams and charts;
Assessing the availability of raw materials and the safety and

environmental impact of the plant;

Managing the cost and time constraints of projects;
Selecting, managing and working with sub-contractors;
Supporting

the
conversion
of
small-scale
commercially viable large-scale operations;

processes

into

 Assuming responsibility for risk assessment, including hazard and

operability (hazop) studies, for the health and safety of both

company staff and the wider community;
Working closely with chemical engineers to monitor and improve the

efficiency, output and safety of a plant;

Ensuring the process works at the optimum level, to the right rate

and quality of output, in order to meet supply needs;

Making observations and taking measurements directly, as well as

collecting and interpreting data from the other technical and

operating staff involved;
Assuming responsibility for environmental monitoring and ongoing

performance of processes and process plant;

Ensuring that all aspects of an operation or process meet specified

regulations;
Working

closely with other specialists, including: scientists

responsible for the quality control of raw materials, intermediates
and finished products; engineers responsible for plant maintenance;
commercial colleagues on product specifications and production
schedules; and the operating crew.