Sophomore here. I really like Orgo, might actually take the further Orgo Reaction Mechanisms course here. I know in ChemE we don’t use it a whole lot, but are there any fields that use it more than usual?

major in something else completely? stay in chemE? say "fuck chemistry"?

more research, more internships? more sex?

i wanna see some things that could really persuade me away from this profession. Ive spent all of high school taking hard chemistry, physics and math classes to prepare me for college. Why?

Because i thought breaking bad was cool, and because

Chemical engineering is going on a computer and building out a lab on a 2d simulator and using math and other stuff to optimize the process (use less energy, or get more yield or something). Instead of crystal meth, il be making kidney medicine or doing something with oil

(thats what i understand it as)

im aware that its one of the hardest majors and im not even thaat good at chemistry.. and also job location could be weird.

Hey all

Not sure if this is the right subreddit, but hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction! I'm looking for a putty that's electrically conductive, radiolucent, and doesn't dry out over time, so it can be reused multiple times.

Ideally, it would have a similar consistency to playdoh can hold its shape, and be able to complete an electrical circuit.

I've been searching for a while now and haven't had much luck finding something that ticks all the boxes.

Does anyone know of a material or product that might work? Open to any suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

I have worked for the same large chemical company for 14 years (BS in chemical engineering) but am getting burned out and frustrated with my leadership after a huge shift recently. It’s beyond horrible to the point of being degrading. I kind of want to just take a break for a while to repair my soul before I commit to a new path.

I’ve been customer-facing almost my whole career and about half of it has been in my current combo SME/technical sales role. I’m really good with customers but I don’t feel prepared to go back to real process engineering work in a plant- I would definitely be starting over.

Considering my niche, would a work history gap really hurt me all that much? Is the “don’t quit until you have something lined up” fear mongering based in reality Im our industry? My Tech friends take breaks constantly and it doesn’t hurt them. (Edit to say I don’t WANT to work in a plant. I included this detail to confine the answers to the technical sales realm.)

If yes it would hurt, is there any way I could disguise a gap as something else? I’m thinking like an educational program abroad or a low stress job that would look like a worthwhile experiment or something.
Editing again to clarify that I mean actually doing something like that to disguise the burnout as an intentional choice to do something else, not as in lying in the job application about having done those things.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently a 2nd-year Honours Science student at John Abbott College (CEGEP in Montreal - like grades 12 and 13 of high school), and I’m trying to decide between types of schools for Chemical Engineering.

I know I want to go into the green tech/sustainability space, however I'm not sure whether that will be carbon capture (CCUS) or developing alternatives to plastics (biomaterials/green chemistry).

Here is a bit about my profile and what I’m looking for:

• The Academics: I genuinely enjoy school, learning theory, and dealing with complex concepts. My favourite subjects right now are physics and calculus and I enjoy biology more than the first 2 chemistry courses at John Abbot. (yikes!, but chemical engineering seems to have the jobs I am interested in)
• The Career Goal: I don't want to end up in corporate "greenwashing" and want a career where I can work on legitimate, impactful environmental solutions, whether that's on the industrial scaling side or process optimization.
• I am worried about finding an interesting job after a bachelor's degree. In school I have not really enjoyed the labs, so I do not see myself being in a lab all day doing repetitive testing or hyper-isolated academic research. I don't have much experience with or exposure to computational modeling yet, so I don't know if I will like that.
• I want to stay in Canada for my career, but may or may not stay in Quebec.

My dilemma:

• School 1 has their new, dedicated sustainability/carbon-neutral focused ChemEng curriculum and a highly praised Co-op program. It feels like a direct pipeline to a practical industry job, but since the program is newer, I'm not sure how deep the theory goes.
• School 2 has massive global prestige, an incredibly strong academic reputation, and a deep theoretical foundation that appeals to my nerdy side. But from what I read, it seems heavily skewed toward traditional academic research, grad school prep, or R&D labs.

I was wondering:

1. How easy is it to pivot into the green sector (plastics alternatives or carbon capture) from either type of school (without doing a PhD (or masters))?
2. Does a school with prestige actually open doors in industry that a Co-op program doesn't?
3. Is it easier to get a job after my degree from the school with the because of the Co-op?
4. Given that I love theory but want a practical, non-R&D industry job at the end, which environment would suit me better?

I did a lab tour yesterday at School 2 and I really liked it. I will try and visit both schools in the open houses next Saturday.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

I’m what amount to a production engineer at a major O&G company and it seems like the company owns me heart and soul. Yes, they certainly pay more than a comparable position for my experience straight out of school but the expectation of being on call 24/7 and being on-site for any abnormal situation wears on you. We recently had a facility upset and I had to drive back in from over two hours away just to be present. Our technical skills were not utilized at all, but it seemed like a matter of keeping up appearances for the department. I can appreciate the criticism that this is what I signed up for and should live with, but is this what others experienced early in your careers? Just disappointed that it seems like our presence is more performative than anything. It’d be another thing if Ops actually engaged us.

i m second year chemical engineering student, honestly i lost myself somewhere around what should i learn to get info the field ? what should i do ? nd i m blank right now.

to the all senior , plz suggestion to where should i focus ? , what should i learn according to the job market trend ?

ive heard that chemical engineering jobs have some job location problems? I just wanna know more on that topic and what it looks like and how bad that is.

I wouldnt mind flying out to like a oil mine or something every once in a while, infact that sounds really cool. But if it means im gonna be there for days and days or weeks, i dont like how that sounds.

Another thing is the state or where ever someone might wanna live. Ive grown up in NJ, and I really like the location, its not special but it has a nice urban - rural spectrum. That being said i dont wanna live in a random state or something.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on a Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) model in PetroSim, and I've run into a perplexing issue regarding shift vector generation.

While generating shift vectors, one of the adjustments involves changing the % of the feed stream going into the e520 fraction. However, the model's response is completely counterintuitive: as the proportion of e520 decreases (meaning a heavier feed into the drum), the model predicts more light products and less coke.

From a fundamental process perspective, my expectation is the exact opposite: a heavier feed / lower e520 percentage should lead to an increase in petroleum coke yield and a decrease in light products.

I wanted to reach out to the community to see if anyone has faced a similar issue:

Has anyone encountered this specific behavior with DCU shift vectors in PetroSim regarding stream percentages like e520?

Is this an issue with calibration coefficients / tuning parameters that need adjustment?

Or is there a specific nuance in the model mechanics where this response is actually correct?

Any insights, troubleshooting tips, or advice would be greatly appreciated!

I've been working as a process engineer at a polymer plant for a few years now and recently got to the final round of a wastewater engineer role that focuses on ion exchange. I haven't worked in all the aspects listed for the role (thin films, RO systems, permits, etc.). Any advice on how I can prepare and what I should brush up on?

Thank you!

Hey guys!

Ive posted a few times before already asking questions. And since then I think ive solidified what id like to do in a job once I graduate.

At my first co-op I was in a Production engineer position, so a good amount of time was spent in the plant and at my desk. I participated in turnaround by doing equipment inspections i.e entered confined spaces and such, helped collect and document process data for the environmental team, helped with water treatment for the process etc. It was mostly learning how to talk to people at different levels of the company with different backgrounds as well as absorbing information. Super fun, spent a good chunk of time learning how things work and also excel, as well as real-world applications of equipment ive designed in class.

My current co-op is a mix of process engineering and R&D, helping them develop/qualify a new product by testing formulations, fix issues currently happening in production too and analyzing the data and then reporting on it with possible next steps and such. It's been really fun, love the lab setting.

With these experiences and school, I can pretty solidly say that i enjoy interacting with people with different backgrounds, i.e operators. Consultants, scientists, sales reps etc. I like being able to touch or see the things im working on. I hate hate hate writing reports(which puts a wrench in my hopes of getting into pharma). I enjoy process and equipment design, including simulations.

What i want to ask is what should I look for in job listings or keywords to look at that would check box a few of those things?

Sorry for the long post!!

Currently started my master’s in Germany. Any particular advice on how to enter the biotech/Pharma market in Germany?

Hi! So I'm currently applying to Phd programs right now, most of which is in chemistry and specifically synthetic/organic chemistry, since I have lab and research experience in organic synthesis.

However, I have been recently warmed up to the idea of pursuing something in chemical engineering instead by my professor, who says I may enjoy it. Specifically, I've looked a bit into Environmental Biotechnology & Remediation plus some polymer stuff. I just don't really know how chemical engineering research looks like, and I kinda like the potion-making aspect of organic chemistry, so I don't want to go into a program and end up not really liking it.

I also don't really know similar the two fields are, and my future goals right now are a bit foggy/leaning towards either going into industry (maybe a national lab) or perhaps if I thoroughly enjoy research, become a professor!

Anyway, any advice is welcome!! And please feel free to ask for more information if needed, I am just trying to figure everything out lol.

Is there any site/group where I can access gas processing EPC package consisting of all deliverables (I can assure you confidential data wont be shared and used only for learning purpose)

Hello! I'm currently a sophomore studying at a university that isn't a top 10 engineering school, and I've been exploring the possibility of transitioning into management consulting at some point in my career.

My current plan is to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry after graduation so I can gain technical experience before potentially making the switch to consulting. However, I have a few questions for people who have made a similar transition or have experience in the industry (sorry, I know it's a lot of questions).

1. How many years of technical experience should I gain before transitioning? Would 2–3 years be enough to become a competitive candidate, or would 4–5 years make a significant difference? Does the type of technical role I pursue matter?

2. Would getting a master's degree be worth it? I'm wondering whether a master's in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, or another graduate degree would meaningfully improve my chances of entering consulting or advancing into higher-paying positions, or whether the difference is relatively negligible compared to work experience.

3. What can I do right now to become a competitive candidate? Since I'm still a sophomore, what should I prioritize during college? Would internships in the pharmaceutical industry, undergraduate research, leadership positions, networking, or learning business and analytical skills help the most at this point in time?

4. How much does attending a non-target university affect my chances?

5. How does salary compare? Is the pay really significantly better in management consulting than in a traditional Chemical Engineering career, especially after accounting for bonuses, working hours, and the years of experience needed to make the transition?

6. What is the lifestyle actually like? I'd love to hear about the typical day-to-day responsibilities of someone who started in a technical Chemical Engineering role and later transitioned into management consulting. What are the hours like, how much travel is involved, and how does the work compare with working in the pharmaceutical industry?

I'd also like to clarify that i'm super interested in both technical work and management consulting so in the long run I just want to see which opportunity will allow me to earn and travel more. I know it's a lot of work but I'd like to be earning in the 200k at some point in my life.

I have a bunch of reasons im thinking about going into chemE over c****r s****e (i dont want this to get filtered)

but something I really cared about is working for myself or building a company/startup. I know if the company is related to anything physical is probably gonna cost a shit ton of money but if I was really determined to start one or something

what would it take? how would you get that money in the first place?

Hey, I'm 20M and studying chemical engineering. I'd like to find another student to study with and keep each other on track.

I'm free from 15:00 to 17:00 UTC/GMT. We could set a couple of goals before a session, study together, then check in on what we got done.

It would be great to have someone who's happy to talk through concepts when I get stuck. I'll help with whatever I can too. I'm looking for someone to learn alongside and build a consistent routine with.

If you're studying ChemE or a related subject and those times work for you, leave a comment or message me.