Chemical Engineering degree

When you graduate, you’ll find no shortage of career options in various sectors like biomedicine, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food processing, automotive, environmental remediation, and renewable energy. Our Entrepreneurship Option gives you the skills to go off the beaten path and create your own startup.

The careers listed below are examples of what you might be able to pursue. Through the courses you take, specializations you choose, extracurriculars, and any work experience you gain, you'll graduate with a degree that's uniquely you and be ready to pursue a career that's right for you!

Process engineer

Design and improve industrial processes, turning raw materials into useful, everyday products. You would analyze systems, troubleshoot challenges, and find ways to make operations more efficient and safe. This role is ideal if you enjoy problem-solving and working with real-world production systems.

Production engineer

In this career, you will be overseeing manufacturing operations and ensure products are made efficiently and consistently. You would monitor equipment, optimize production lines, and solve any issues that arise. It’s a great fit if you like fast-paced environments and hands-on work.

Environmental engineer

Develop solutions to protect the environment and tackle challenges like pollution reduction and waste treatment in practical, impactful ways. You would design systems that improve clean water access, enhance air quality, and support more sustainable processes. This career is perfect if you’re motivated to use engineering to create a healthier, more sustainable world.

Energy engineer

Work on producing and optimizing energy systems, including oil, gas, or renewable sources. You would improve efficiency and explore ways to reduce environmental impact. This role connects engineering with one of the world’s most important industries.

Pharmaceutical engineer

Help design and manufacture medicines safely and efficiently. You would ensure processes meet strict quality standards and regulatory requirements. It’s a strong option if you’re interested in healthcare and improving lives through technology.

Food process engineer

Develop methods to produce food products safely and at large scale. You would work on preserving quality, extending shelf life, and improving efficiency. This role combines engineering with something people rely on every day.

Materials engineer

Study and develop new materials with specific properties, such as strength, flexibility, or heat resistance. You would test materials and improve how they are used in products. This career is ideal if you’re curious about how things are made at a fundamental level.

Quality assurance engineer

Make sure products meet safety and quality standards before reaching customers. You would design testing procedures, analyze results, and improve processes. This role is essential for maintaining trust and reliability in products.

Plant operator

Manage and monitor equipment used in chemical and biochemical production facilities. You would ensure systems run safely and efficiently while responding to any issues. It’s a hands-on role where you can see the direct results of your work.

Research and development engineer

Explore new ideas and technologies to improve products or processes. You would run experiments, analyze results, and help bring innovations to life. This career is perfect if you enjoy creativity and experimentation.

Sustainability engineer

Focus on making industrial processes more environmentally friendly. You would reduce waste, lower emissions, and improve resource efficiency. This role lets you combine engineering with sustainability goals.

Safety engineer

Design systems and procedures to keep workplaces safe. You would identify hazards, assess risks, and implement safety measures to prevent accidents. This career is a great fit if You care about protecting people and improving working conditions.

Possible professional designation

• Professional Engineer

Learn about the future of careers in engineering.

What's the difference between Chemical Engineering and Chemistry?

Chemical engineering involves more engineering than chemistry.

Chemists are primarily concerned with understanding fundamental principles of chemical reactions, molecular composition and material properties at a molecular level. Chemists typically work in laboratories conducting experiments to discover new compounds, understand chemical processes and develop new materials. Chemistry is a foundation of Chemical Engineering.

On the other hand, chemical engineering is the application of chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics to design, develop and optimize processes for large-scale production and manufacturing. It is more concerned with transforming raw materials into useful products through chemical, physical and biological processes. Chemical engineers design equipment, systems and processes for refining raw materials, producing chemicals and managing byproducts. Chemical engineering is involved in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, energy and consumer goods, focusing on scaling up production, improving efficiency and ensuring safety and sustainability.

In summary, while chemistry focuses on understanding the nature and behaviour of substances, chemical engineering focuses on applying this knowledge to develop practical processes for producing and using these substances efficiently and safely on an industrial scale.

What do the Chemical Engineering lab spaces look like?

Watch our tour video for a glimpse inside our Chemical Engineering lab spaces in the Douglas Wright Engineering building at the University of Waterloo.