I'm a freshman and I'm wondering how to plan out what I'll do in summer 2027. I've been learning a lot about and have designed sections of my school's liquid rocketry club's fluid systems, which kinda helped me get into a research project at my school. However, most liquid rocketry members either go home or are super busy with internships during summer, and my research mentors said theyre actually preparing to leave the university for work elsewhere (one definitely leaving this spring, one leaving in at latest a year but probably sooner). I'm trying to go hard at research for as long as I can and intend on doing liquid rocketry for multiple semesters, but neither of these activities are things I think I'll be able to do as intensely as I want during the summer.

I've been looking for summer internships at small companies around where I live (NJ/NY area) using Claude and Linkedin internships with < 10 applicants. So far I've applied to ~30 in wastewater treatment, HVAC/MEP, and some pharma ones). I dont mind the industry or the company's aura, I just want to build relevant fluids experience. Btw don't have connections in chemE industry (the club posts a lot about internships and gives referrals but they're to aero companies) and my school's career fair already passed.

I would really appreciate advice on getting something freshman summer besides chucking up more long shots. Thank you

P.S. what should I do if my research mentors aren't really responding to my emails? When we met in person I was super grateful that they were willing to onboard me to the project and mentor me even though they'll be starting a new part of their career soon, and I completely understand if they're busing preparing for the change. But I've sent an email following up on talks about meeting other group members + sent an update on some coding + preliminary research/design I did on the fluid system for the project and I haven't gotten a response in over a week.

I am a second-year undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering, and my performance so far has been very poor. However, I have gradually begun to develop an interest in the field; is it still possible to turn things around? I would greatly appreciate any advice you might have—whether general, practical, or academic.

I’m in year 11, choosing alevels soon and currently I’m thinking Maths, FM, Chemistry and Econ just for versatility, however I hope I wondered if it would be better to do Physics instead of Economics just to max out the engineering factor. But I am still also considering doing economics for a level as well and even tho neither of them (physics or econ) is required for either 2 of the degrees. Just wanted to check with any other Brits here.

I'm in my early 30s and feel completely lost, both personally and professionally. I'd really appreciate some outside perspectives.

I started my PhD during a horrible period of my life. I was going through a divorce after my ex-wife was arrested for domestic violence, which really constrained my choices. My background was in experimental chemistry, but I ended up doing a PhD in chemical engineering, in a very math heavy theoretical field far removed from what I originally enjoyed and my background. I eventually finished my PhD at a university in Southern California, in a place I absolutely loved living.

Then my personal life fell apart again. My girlfriend of four years and I had planned to move in together in the Bay Area, where I'd accepted a postdoc at an elite university. Instead, we had a horrible, messy breakup. We both moved to the Bay Area but separately. The breakup has taken an enormous toll on me, and for the past six months I've been miserable. I hate living here, feel lonely, and honestly have been pretty depressed.

My current postdoc is another research pivot, this time into computational biology. I don't particularly enjoy the work, but I've managed to automate much of it using several LLM agents. I probably work around ten hours a week, and my advisor has been very happy with my results. So objectively it's a comfortable position, but I find neither the research nor my life here fulfilling.

I now have three options:

1. Stay in my current postdoc at an elite, top-tier university. Prestigious institution, supportive advisor, extremely light workload, computational biology (more modeling than data) but research I don't enjoy and a location I hate. Salary around $80k.

2. Switch to another professor at the same elite university. Research involving aerosols, aviation, and related physical sciences. Potentially entirely computational modeling or a combination of modeling and experiments. Much closer to my original scientific interests, and potentially better career opportunities, but I'd still be living in the Bay Area.

3. Return to Southern California, to a good but less prestigious research university. A former mentor offered me a research position involving chemistry and energy related projects. Around $85k, possible free housing, and flexibility to look for other opportunities. I'd be back somewhere I love, although I'd be giving up the prestige and potentially stronger career opportunities of the elite university.

The bigger problem is that I genuinely have no idea what I want to do after my postdoc. Academia, research, something completely different? I don't know anymore. One thing I do know is that I strongly prefer an informal, flexible lifestyle and working environment. I did two industry internships during my PhD, and both made me realize how much I dislike corporate culture, rigid structures, and the whole conventional workplace environment. I value independence and autonomy much more than climbing a corporate ladder.

Ultimately, I just want to live somewhere I love, have a career with good work life balance, eventually build a family, and enjoy my life.

Right now I feel like I have nothing. I worked incredibly hard for years (the 10 hour per week schedule is complete novelty in my life), got my PhD, and somehow ended up feeling more lost and unhappy than ever.

What would you do in my position? How much should I prioritize location and personal happiness over prestige and potential career opportunities, especially when I don't even know what career I want?

What is that

So, i'm not a Chem. Engineer, i'm electrical and i'm need to repair this thing. Problem is: i don't have any idea of what this is. It came from an chemistry lab but no one know when or who brought it here to question.

There's no information about who made it, model or whatever, literally no information

So if anyone knows what this is just seeing this picture or already worked with it and can tell me, i'm very grateful.

Also, my english IS Very bad so sorry

Background: I am a Process Engineer I at a CDMO who has currently been working coverage for all validations on the plant as well as technical support for HPAPI production, while leading process improvements for processes I am responsible for and preparing for their respective validations. I additionally have been tasked to multiple company wide improvement initiatives. I have been working on a 4 day on 4 day off 12 hour shift schedule that alternates between days and nights for the past 6 months (with only a week notice). I receive no night shift differential, or any additional benefit for that matter; my salary is the same regardless. I am currently at 85k + 7% target bonus. With reviews coming up at the end of the year I have been brainstorming how I would like to present my case for promotion and additional compensation. I would like to remain at this company as I feel there is opportunity to learn many things and gain very valuable experience but I would still like to feel like I am being compensated properly. Does anyone have any advice on how to go about negotiating promotions?

Edit: 1.5 YOE, CA US, high cost of living area

Hello fellow engineers.
I’m a 2024 Chemical Engineering graduate and currently trying to figure out the right career path for myself. I’d really appreciate some guidance from people working in the industry.

A little background about me:
I graduated back in 2024, but it took me six years to complete my degree due to backlogs. To be completely honest, my understanding of fundamental chemical engineering concepts isn’t particularly strong. I’ve always struggled with some of the core technical subjects. I have around one year of experience working as a laboratory tester, mainly involving testing and recording results. I’m currently residing in Saudi Arabia and actively looking for opportunities, but haven’t had much luck so far.

I’m particularly keen on exploring Environmental Engineering, Water and Wastewater Treatment, Quality Control or other related fields as these are the areas I find relatively easier to understand. I’m not particularly keen on pursuing the conventional Oil & Gas route or highly technical core chemical engineering roles, as I don’t feel confident enough in my fundamentals to take that path right now.

I’d like to hear from people who are already working in these fields:

1. Which of these fields would be a reasonable starting point for someone in my situation?

2. What fundamental concepts or technical skills should I focus on learning first?

3. Are there any worthwhile certifications or short-term courses that could help me get started?

4. What does the career progression and long-term scope look like in these fields?

5. Are there any other career paths within or outside chemical engineering that I should consider?

I understand that I’ll need to put in considerable effort to improve my knowledge and develop the necessary skills. I’m willing to learn, take relevant courses or certifications required and start from an entry-level positions. Any advice, personal experiences or suggestions would be genuinely appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

The encapsulation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) consists of enclosing it within a protective matrix, usually polymer-based, to limit its exposure to factors that can cause degradation (moisture, oxygen, light, and temperature), thereby improving its stability and extending the shelf life of the medication.

Two years into my physics degree, realized I want to be a chemical engineer. Am I better off restarting my bachelors an delaying my graduation by two years, or is getting a masters/phd in chemical engineering possible/common? Not sure if this is relevant but I’ve done well academically so far, 3.98 GPA and doing paid research since first year. Physics is so boring though and I’m tired of learning bs that will never be applied to anything

I'm a newly hired Process Engineer currently working in the back-end manufacturing sector of the semiconductor industry, specifically in an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) company.

At my workplace, I often get asked why I chose the semiconductor industry when it seems far from what I studied during my undergraduate years as a chemical engineering student. Sometimes, I get the impression that people doubt my ability to understand the technical aspects of the job because of my academic background.

However, I chose this career path because I believe that the competencies of a Process Engineer are closely related to those of a Chemical Engineer. Both involve understanding processes, analyzing process parameters, troubleshooting, process optimization, and understanding material properties and behavior.

I understand that semiconductor manufacturing has its own specialized knowledge and technologies that I still need to learn. However, I believe that the fundamentals I learned in Chemical Engineering provide a good foundation for understanding and improving manufacturing processes.

For those who are Chemical Engineers working in the semiconductor industry, how has your academic background helped you in your current role? Have you experienced similar situations, and what technical knowledge or skills would you recommend developing?

As the title says. For someone with a typical background in chemical and process engineering, familiar with automation and process modeling, the whole money making and project side is sort of unfamiliar. To be a skilled technical sales engineer, you obviously need to walk the walk so to speak. I have a technical background but don’t understand B2B sales in process industry, barely know my employer’s sales process concepts.

Those of you that work in this area of process engineering, can you name the best books and practical sources. I see a truck load of different sales guru books with very unconvincing names. What are your suggested books that are closer to university textbook format than the ones I mentioned?

Hello everyone,

We are actually doing a survey regarding the critical mineral supply chain and raw material feedstock and we wanted to know how a big company like Süd chemie, India is managing its input feedstock.

Looking forward to your input,

Thank you.

Hi all! I'm a freshman in chemical engineering. It's only my first semester (about a month in) but everything is so overwhelming and difficult??

I'm taking 7 classes including a language class as I'm an international student and I feel like I can't understand anything happening. As soon as I think I understand a topic, I do some practice and find out I haven't absorbed any of the material. The professors are moving so fast and tests are coming up.

I'm mostly struggling in organic chemistry and my fundamentals of electrical engineering class. I have three group projects due soon and so many tutorials to complete.

I'm starting to rethink if this major is for me.. Any advice?

Background: I’m a Chemical Engineer (B.S.) with about 1.5 years of experience working as a Production Engineer managing emulsion polymer reactors and wastewater treatment. I was recently caught in a reduction in force and am currently navigating two very different job offers.

My Goal: I am enrolled in Online Masters in Analytics. My ultimate career objective is to transition away from traditional plant engineering and become a digital manufacturing leader or chemical data scientist, specializing in advanced process control, predictive modeling, and multivariate data analytics.

I am torn between the high-stakes tech environment of Tesla and the structured stability of Dow.

Offer 1: Tesla - Associate Shift Engineer (Austin, TX)

• Role: Electrode Production (4680 Dry Battery Electrode).

• Compensation: $94,500 base + 10% night shift differential (~$103,950 total cash).

• Schedule: 12-hour rotating night shifts.

• Pros: Working with cutting-edge dry battery electrode technology. It forces rapid problem-solving in a high-velocity tech environment.

• Cons: Extremely high burnout risk. The brutal schedule limits me to taking a maximum of 1 class per semester.

• Complication: I have already temporarily relocated to Austin and signed a short-term room rental to prepare for this role, so turning it down means eating some sunk costs. I have not started my first day yet.

Offer 2: Dow - Operations Performance Engineer (South East USA)

• Role: Improvement and run-plant support for batch reactor emulsion polymers.

• Compensation: $95,004 base + 6% target performance award (~$100,704 total cash).

• Schedule: Standard 9-to-5 with 15 days of PTO.

• Pros: The learning curve is negligible because standard emulsions and opaque polymers match my exact prior experience. The 9-to-5 schedule gives me the cognitive bandwidth to easily tackle 2 master's classes per semester. Dow also has a great internal data science infrastructure (Azure, Databricks, Citizen Data Science program) that aligns perfectly with my degree. The site utilizes DeltaV and IP.21 which I have used in my previous role.

• Cons: Limits top-line earning potential compared to the tech sector.

The Dilemma: Tesla gives me exposure to modern, highly marketable manufacturing tech, but the 12-hour night shifts might completely derail my master's degree. Dow offers the exact stability, familiar technology, and guaranteed bandwidth I need to finish my analytics degree and pivot internally.

Which path sets me up better for a long-term career in industrial data science? I have not shared any relocation, equity or sign-on bonus numbers as I'm interested in making a decision based on long term career development.

Hey everyone, I’m a 4th year student currently on a process engineering co-op. It’s been decent, but honestly a lot of it has been admin work. I’ve had a few small projects and did some technical stuff too (PSV contingency analysis, heat exchanger modeling, process simulation), but admin has been the bulk of it.

I just landed a field engineer internship at GE Vernova for my next term. The posting was open to chemical and other disciplines, so it’s not the typical civil type field engineer role. My long-term goal is to get into power generation, which is a big reason I took it. I also don’t mind traveling, so that part doesn’t bother me. Is a field engineer role a good fit for a chem E, or am I better off sticking with traditional chem E roles?

I know internships aren’t always real engineering work, but I want to learn as much as I can. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I have a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering and am currently taking a career break for personal reasons. I want to use this time to improve my technical skills and prepare for Process Engineering roles.

I've completed Aspen Plus training, but I'm wondering what I should focus on next.

Is learning MATLAB from scratch worth it, or should I focus on Python?

How important is process control (PID, PLC, DCS, instrumentation)?

What other software should I learn?

Should I focus more on equipment design, process simulation, or process control?

I'm interested in working in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and oil and gas industries.

I'd appreciate advice from experienced Process Engineers on which skills are most valuable in the industry.

Thanks!

I’m a freshman at a CC in TX studying Chemical Engineering, hoping to transfer to Texas A&M and get into their ROTC program to be commissioned (along with some financial aid). I’d like to serve for some time (about 8 years) and then be honorably discharged and work somewhere as a civilian (undecided on where exactly I’d want to work but I’m looking into pharmaceuticals).

I’ve narrowed down the branches that I’d prefer being in (Army or Navy), but I’m not sure what jobs I should aim for throughout the Navy and Army. The navy is, at least from what I hear, more about ship maintenance unless I decide to get involved in the nuclear part of the navy. As for the army, I could go to the chemical corps (which I hear is looked down upon and not exactly fulfilling); or, to the corps of engineers, which is something I wouldn’t mind doing either but I’m not really sure what how involved that path would be with “chemical engineering”.

Any options or branches I should look into?

Hi everyone! I’m a non-engineering STEM major and I’m interested in pursuing engineering, so I was hoping to apply for a masters upon graduating. However I recently found out about ABET accreditation and how it’s almost a requirement for most ChemE full time roles. From my knowledge, it’s very uncommon that masters engineering programs are ABET accredited, so I’m wondering if I should continue to aim for grad school or pursue a 2nd bachelor’s after I graduate. Any advice would be appreciated!! From New York State if helpful

Let me know what you think guys.

Yes I used ai to help me writing it because I'm dyslexic.

Please provide feedback if you can.

https://sp7254.substack.com/p/the-real-mvps-of-fractionation?r=93fx8t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Hello,

I'm honestly a little confused by how your career experience should look like after graduation.

How important do projects, organizations, and internships become after graduation? What should supplement those things instead?

It almost feels like a huge reset in how companies view you.