Essential to any production plant making food, drinks, fuels, or chemicals is the process engineer. This individual oversees the production of chemical and biochemical products whereby raw materials undergo changes from the laboratory to the processing plant.
Responsibilities include: Designing equipment, installing control systems, understanding all chemical and physical reactions taking place, running and upgrading various processes, reviewing data to determine if more research is required, troubleshooting existing processes, designing and installing new production units, overseeing modifications and upgrades; applying the principles of heat transfer, mass, and momentum to equipment design; preparing flow diagrams, charts, and other reports, locating raw materials; assessing the safety and ecological impact of the plant, overseeing all cost and time constraints, selecting and supervising sub-contractors.
Other duties often include: converting small-scale processes into large-scale operations that are commercially viable, assuming responsibility hazard and operability studies, coordinating closely with chemical engineers to improve the output, efficiency, and safety of the plant. The typical annual salary for this position is between £40,000 - £49,000.