Jobs for chemical engineers are as varied as the industries that employ them.

 

 

There’s a wide variety of industries and companies in which chemical engineers can choose to work. Companies include everything from bulk and specialty chemical companies to pharmaceutical, electronic, food and consumer products companies.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of chemical engineers “to grow two percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations. Demand for chemical engineers’ services depends largely on demand for the products of various manufacturing industries.”

However, the ability of these engineers to stay on the edge of new emerging technologies will sustain employment growth, says the BLS. Plus, chemical engineering is migrating into new fields, such as nanotechnology, alternative energies and biotechnology. The BLS notes this will maintain demand for engineering services in many manufacturing industries.

Meet six chemical engineers who have created thriving niches in this sector. All are at different companies that are on the forefront of the field with science, technology and ideas that push innovation.

 

 

Luna-Ramos Devises Innovative Solutions for Eastman Customers

Esmeralda Luna-Ramos, technical service and sales development manager in Eastman’s tire additives business, is responsible for providing technical support to customers in the tire industry in the Americas. “My role is very customer-focused,” she says.

Luna-Ramos has been with the company for seven years, earning three promotions during that time. The 2009 North Carolina State University graduate was initially hired as a process engineer, and worked on two greenfield projects (new chemical plants with no existing infrastructure), designing safety and process interlocks for one and leading the equipment design effort for the other.

She also worked on retrofit process design (making modifications to an existing chemical plant), where her team found ways to optimize the performance of the process by replacing or adding pieces of equipment.

Four years later, she became a staff auditor who conducted business process audits, including the areas of finance, inventory management, procurement, supply chain and technology at manufacturing plants in the U.S., Mexico, Germany and China. She was promoted to her present position two years after that.

Prior to coming aboard at Eastman, a global company that manufactures such specialty products as resins, solvents, and polymers, Luna-Ramos had two internships, the second one in the process engineering group at Eastman in 2008, where she “evaluated the performance of heat exchangers in various chemical processes and modeled a new design to improve their throughput (performance).” It’s the same group she joined full-time after graduation.

Her current position allows her to provide innovative solutions for customers and pursue new business opportunities for the company. She enjoys being part of a business where its products are important in the manufacturing of tires for vehicles: “I view a tire from a much different perspective now.”

The territory she covers is vast, and that presents a challenge: “Each customer has different needs and different points of view.” Therefore, communication is the key to ensuring all of her customers are happy.

“From my current position I can continue to grow through the management chain by taking on leadership roles with more responsibilities that have a global impact. These can be in the areas of innovation, marketing, sales or technology,” she says.

Luna-Ramos reminds fellow and aspiring engineers, “One of the benefits of having a degree in chemical engineering is it provides you with the problem-solving skills that allow you to tackle any kind of problem, whether it’s in design, manufacturing, research or business.”

Log onto jobs.eastman.com to view Eastman career opportunities. Connect on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

 

Eastman at a Glance

Kingsport, TN-based Eastman is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of advanced materials, additives and functional products, specialty chemicals and fibers found in everyday products.

 

Highsmith’s Engineering Expertise Expands at Monsanto

Seeing how much her daughter enjoyed learning about scientific principles and theories, performing science experiments and solving math problems as a child, Tenisha Yvette Highsmith’s mother enrolled her in various STEM programs that introduced minority students to the educational and professional opportunities available in those fields.

“Participation in these programs, along with several internships and job-shadowing opportunities, ignited my passion for engineering,” Highsmith shares.

She graduated in 2007 from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in chemical and biomolecular engineering. After several unrelated work experiences in academic, corporate and government environments and discussions with one of her mentors who had worked at Monsanto, a company that delivers agricultural products (seeds and herbicides) to farmers globally, she researched the company.

“The company’s commitment to the development of sustainable solutions to help nourish the world and conserving natural resources appealed to me,” says Highsmith. She was also impressed by Monsanto’s involvement in its local communities and its commitment to employee development.

Last year she joined Monsanto’s glyphosate technical unit as a chemical production engineer, the same position she currently holds. Glyphosate is a chemical used in agricultural herbicides.

In this role Highsmith provides technical assistance with daily operations, troubleshoots operational issues, identifies and implements process and quality improvements, and manages product quality.

She also monitors the environmental performance of the unit to ensure regulatory compliance, creates and maintains process, safety and environmental documentation, and provides technical training to unit operations personnel.

At Monsanto engineers follow one of three career paths: leadership, technical professional, or manufacturing technology (global technical experts). Monsanto provides training, mentoring and a variety of developmental experiences, both domestically and globally, to support and promote success in reaching their goals.

As for her own career goals, Highsmith says, “I’m currently interested in the technical professional and manufacturing technology career paths, and would like to become a technical expert in a specialty (plant-level) or serve as a technical expert to support a global optimization team.”

Go to monsanto.com/careers/pages/jobsatmonsanto.aspx to locate Monsanto career paths. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

 

Monsanto at a Glance

St. Louis, MO-based Monsanto is a sustainable agriculture company that produces seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops such as corn, soybeans and cotton; works on environmental solutions for soil health; helps farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources; and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Other areas include traditional plant breeding, data and precision agriculture, biotechnology and more.

 

Banks’ Work Helps Solvay’s Manufacturing Excel

As a young girl, Asha Banks was interested in making her own hair and skin products using natural ingredients. She later wondered what type of education would lead to that kind of work. So, when the time for college came, she set off for Drexel University and earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering with a business minor.

While at Drexel, Banks did three six-month co-op assignments, one where she worked for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company and two where she worked for chemical manufacturing companies.

The latter helped her transition easily into Solvay’s plant environments when she joined Solvay’s Foundations for the Future (FFF) rotational program for newly hired engineers. They rotate through three different assignments in different plants and business units or in laboratory or function roles, in their first five years of employment.

“Job experience was more of a ‘must-have’ than a bonus,” Banks explains about her acceptance into the FFF at Solvay, a global company that manufactures specialty chemicals, including polymers and solvents.

She was hired as a process engineer, where her role was a mix of process, production and projects both large and small. It was her overall job to support the efforts of getting product to customers safely and efficiently. “A portion of my time was spent on creating or updating documentation and training operators,” she adds.

Banks is now a manufacturing excellence engineer: “I have cost-saving and cultural improvement objectives to support at five manufacturing sites within two global business units (GBUs).”

She teaches Solvay’s manufacturing excellence methodology to site employees and coaches them through the implementation process. “I support both maintenance and production efforts through training, coaching, facilitating workshops/working sessions, and sometimes leading special projects,” she describes, adding that her current position has prepared her for a management position, especially within operations.

Banks has taken courses within Solvay Corporate University to build her soft skills, including leading change and impacting and influencing others - both of which, she says, are critical to her current position. She also had lean manufacturing and Six Sigma black belt training. The latter is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement.

Banks travels each week to manufacturing plants in North America and, occasionally, in Europe. “Each day brings new challenges and new opportunities to add value for Solvay’s customers and communities. One of those challenges is helping seasoned professionals make improvements at their sites or coaching them directly on improving their management style,” she states.

“I found incorporating a feedback mechanism that allows for a more comfortable way to address priorities has worked well to spark conversations and reach agreement on how we can better work together as a team,” she point out.

Log onto solvay.us/en/careers/index.html to discover Solvay careers. Connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

 

Solvay at a Glance

Solvay in the USA makes products that serve diversified markets worldwide, from consumer goods to energy. It’s part of the international Solvay Group, with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Founded in 1863, Solvay has locations across the U.S., with three North American headquarters in Princeton, NJ, Houston, TX and Alpharetta, GA.

 

Hernandez’ Role at Air Liquide Fuses Business & Engineering Acumen

“Air Liquide is very welcoming and supportive,” Micaela Hernandez says about the company she joined after graduating from Texas A&M University/College Station in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.

Before graduating, however, she did three internships: “My final summer internship was with Air Liquide in Houston, TX. I worked in the carbon dioxide group where I researched the use of system air purgers.” Air Liquide is a global company that manufactures industrial gases such as helium, nitrogen and hydrogen.

After graduating Hernandez was hired into Air Liquide’s two-year rotational program, Air Liquide Leading EXcellence (ALLEX) program. The program trains and develops new college recruits as part of the company’s dedication to develop and support its employees throughout their careers. Hernandez did four six-month rotations through different parts of the company.

“I worked at a plant, assisted in the procurement phase of a large project, worked with the project engineering team, and assisted in the implementation of our Albee cylinder project,” she explains.

After completing the ALLEX program, Hernandez became the business analyst for Air Liquide’s product strategy and management area. She supported the industrial merchant business unit by gathering and analyzing plant production data, calculating product costs and developing various tools.

She recently became operations control business analyst for North and South America: “I provide financial analysis and information to support the performance and strategic decisions for Air Liquide Americas.”

Hernandez’ current position tilts more toward business than engineering. “My previous position in product management was a good transition role as it connected plant production with the financial side of the business. In this new role I have insight into not only how the business runs in the U.S., but in all of the Americas.”

In addition, to these responsibilities, she is also an engineer in training (EIT), the first step toward becoming licensed as a professional engineer.

Log onto www.airliquide.com/careers to view Air Liquide career opportunities. Connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

 

Air Liquide at a Glance

Air Liquide’s global headquarters is in Paris, France while its U.S. headquarters in in Houston, TX. Air Liquide in the U.S. relies on more than 20,000 employees in over 1,300 locations, offering industrial gases and related services to customers in a range of industries, including oil and gas, chemicals, metals, construction, food and beverage, research and analysis, electronics and healthcare.

 

Collaboration Key to Products Kim Engineers at Praxair

Joo-Yun Kim says she recently attended a Praxair event and spoke with a company retiree who shared this bit of wisdom with her: “It is easy to have passion, but perseverance and persistence are what’s needed to get to where you want to be.”

To this, Kim adds what she’s learned from her own experience, which is to develop yourself in your field instead of focusing on going after a career: “I believe opportunities and a good career come naturally to a person who’s constantly learning, engaging and growing.”

Kim earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1998. Following graduation she worked as an engineering intern at a chemical company that hired her permanently as a process engineer. It was where she helped formulate products based on market needs, conduct testing, characterization, particle sizing and analysis.

Those are tasks Kim leads today in her current position as an engineer at Praxair, a manufacturer of industrial gases such as carbon dioxide, helium and hydrogen. “These activities allow me to simulate what the product will encounter once it’s in the customer’s production environment,” she says.

She joined Praxair as a senior applications engineer in 2004, after working for a second company. At her first company she supported a senior engineer in developing new slurry-based products for use in the semiconductor industry. She formulated, tested and analyzed products during her time there. At her second company she worked as an applications engineer at a company that produced semiconductor equipment.

“I worked directly with customers where I identified their technical needs, recommended an appropriate product, developed the process, and provided solutions to any technical issues we experienced while on site,” says Kim, who earned an MBA from Indiana University in 2007. She feels her hands-on experience and knowledge of moving products from research and development to production were important to her being hired at Praxair.

Kim’s current responsibilities include developing new slurry-based products used to polish lenses for eyewear and slurry materials that protect metal parts from environmental conditions such as wear, erosion, corrosion and high temperature in the aviation, power generation, and oil and gas industries.

“I’m directly responsible for introducing products to customers, scaling up in production, sustaining the production process, continuing to look for alternatives and supervising oversight for our lab,” Kim explains. “I collaborate with people across all areas of the company: sales, production, engineering, quality, safety, customer service, R&D scientists, customers and suppliers.”

These interactions are a stretch for her and take her out of her comfort zone, but are positive because they allow her to develop in a new way, she concludes.

Log onto www.praxair.com/careers to view Praxair career opportunities. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

 

Praxair at a Glance

Danbury, CT-based Praxair, Inc. is a global industrial gases company that has been developing technology, products and services for more than 100 years that help sustain and protect the planet.

 

Carrillo Dow

Liliana Carrillo interviewed with The Dow Chemical Company in 2013 after graduating from New York’s Columbia University with great confidence. Why?

Well, she had already completed several summer internships during her undergraduate days as a chemical engineering student. She had volunteered with engineering organizations at college. She also volunteered in her community with the non-profit organization founded by her mother to raise self-esteem in Hispanic youth and motivate them to get involved in their community and achieve academic success.

“I believe my experience as an undergraduate gave insight into my commitment, leadership, passion and technical ability which were considered during the hiring process,” recalls Carrillo, who joined Dow as a result of that interview process. “Having experience helped me in my job search and when answering interview questions throughout the hiring process.”

Community involvement - especially working to raise awareness of STEM careers in minority youth - has been important to Carrillo since she was in high school. In fact, she was a member of Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) from her teen years and founded a junior chapter in her hometown.

So when she learned about Dow at a SHPE national convention career fair, “I saw Dow had a similar commitment to promoting STEM in youth, which is why I applied to the company.”

She began her career at Dow, a global company that produces specialty chemicals. She worked at its electronic materials site in Newark, NJ, as a run plant engineer for the finishing process. Six month later, while still a run plant engineer, she moved to the IC casting process - a chemical process - the first step in CMP pad manufacturing. She’s now responsible for the quality and stability of the process. “I monitor its health using statistical process control and troubleshoot any issues that arise in production,” she explains.

Before she came to Dow, Carrillo was advised about the advantage of starting in manufacturing. She says it gives you the best insight into the company you work for and its processes, and it’ll help you in any other role you have.

“I took this advice,” she says, “since I was also looking for a hands-on job, and searched for jobs in manufacturing to start my engineering career.”

Working in manufacturing at Dow, she says, also gives her great experience, which she can leverage for other positions in the company, such as R&D, product quality engineering or project engineering.

“Every day is different,” Carrillo says. “There are always different problems to solve, ranging from quality to safety and insuring production keeps running. Troubleshooting is a great way to learn about the equipment and the process. It’s challenging and keeps you engaged all of the time.”

Log onto dow.com/en-us/careers to view Dow career opportunities. Connect on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tumblr and Google+.