Chemical Engineer Resume Example & Writing Tips

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RESUME SUMMARY

Investigative, curious, and driven Chemical Engineer with 4+ years’ experience within energy and infrastructure sectors, with a passion for environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Manage budgets of $500M+, designing complex solutions in collaboration with cross-functional teams to transform process management efficiency. Leveraged knowledge of chemical composition, production techniques, and disposal methods acquired through undergraduate studies to secure coveted award from AIChE.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Chemical Engineer
BP – Cambridge, MA
Sep 2020 – Present

Liaise with process chemists and design engineers to maintain 95% plant output levels
Ensure <5% margin of error in plant and equipment configuration, delivering compliance with internal and external safety and environmental regulations
Analyze data in MATLAB to create predictive maintenance systems for effective problem-solving
Support junior chemical engineers to build practical knowledge of applications of chemical processes and production techniques
Accountable for $350M project to deliver specialized, engineered solutions to advance environmental sustainability within the plant
Identify and resolve operational issues to maintain standard operating procedures and ensure project success

Chemical Engineer
BASF – Cambridge, MA
Jun 2018 – Aug 2020

Supported the lead process engineer to develop process design basis, material balance, and process flow diagrams
Met 4-month project deadline by designing piping and instrumentation diagrams, project lists, and datasheets
Delivered laboratory, bench, pilot, and full-scale test programs
Acquired knowledge in emerging areas such as carbon capture, long-duration energy storage, and alternative fuels
Reduced industrial air pollution in factory by 27% through implementing petroleum-refining techniques
Troubleshot problems within chemical manufacturing processes to save $200K in operating costs

EDUCATION

(May 2018) BS in Chemical Engineering
3.8 GPA, magna cum laude
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Cambridge, MA

KEY SKILLS

Computer aided design (CAD) software
Collaboration
Deductive reasoning
Complex problem solving
Mathematics
MATLAB programming

AWARDS

(May 2018) PD2M Student Award / AIChE

How to write a chemical engineer resume

Learning how to put together a resume for the specific job(s) you want will help you land more interviews.

Despite a wide range of applications across multiple industries, chemical engineers all share something in common: involvement in the design and development phases of new concepts. These professionals are relied upon to consider health, safety, and cost issues while creating valuable new materials and techniques.

Given the job’s focus on raw, potentially hazardous materials, it’s important to highlight your technical understanding in addition to soft skills to demonstrate your value to employers.

The following tips offer a broad overview of what to include in your chemical engineer resume to give you the best chance of securing a job in this fast-paced, competitive field.

1. Highlight your chemical engineer skills

Including an eye-catching resume skills section offers a quick snapshot of your technical skills and knowledge to impress hiring managers. For example, these computer programs are often a valuable resource for chemical engineers, and listing them in your skills section will show you have the know-how to succeed in the field:

MATLAB
AutoCAD
Microsoft Office Suite
Minitab

To show you’re a well-rounded employee, be sure to include a few character traits (soft skills) as well as learned techniques (hard skills).

The following hard and soft skills have a wide range of applications across chemical engineer positions:

Complex problem solving skills
Critical thinking
Lean Six Sigma
Judgment and decision making
Mathematics
Budget management
Time management skills
Analytical skills
Deductive reasoning
Collaboration

In addition to self-professed skills, training and certifications make your resume stand out. Including the Licensed Professional Engineer (LPE) certification on your resume is especially useful for helping you progress from new grad to mid-career.

Required skills and certifications are often included in job ads, so ensure you’re not missing any skills listed as essential or desired. Doing so also makes you more likely to get past companies’ applicant tracking systems (ATS). Making an ATS-friendly resume will boost your chances of scoring an interview.

2. Open with a strong chemical engineer resume summary

A resume summary is a snapshot of your career highlights, providing busy hiring managers with an easy-to-read description of your most relevant skills and value. It’s likely the first thing they’ll read so it should grab their attention.

Chemical engineering is a multidisciplinary field with a wide range of applications across a variety of industries, including:

energy
oil and gas
food and drink
toiletries
plastics
water treatment
pharmaceuticals

So it’s essential that you tailor your resume summary to your target industry. Here’s an example of an effective resume summary for the pharmaceuticals industry:

An example resume summary for a chemical engineer with experience in pharmaceuticals

By emphasizing your best soft skills, measurable results, and qualifications/certifications in your resume summary, you can effectively summarize your key selling points to show your value to your target company.

3. Add hard numbers to your achievements

Include hard numbers in your resume to demonstrate your achievements in measurable terms.

Chemical engineers are valued for their focus on the following success measures:

Driving efficiency
Meeting strict budgets and timelines
Ensuring compliance with internal and external regulations
Maintaining stringent health and safety measures
Any of the above are good themes to consider when generating your own hard numbers.

Here are a few examples of how to include hard numbers in your resume:

Boosted compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) agency by 37%

Implemented Lean Six Sigma health and safety checks to reduce errors by 45%

Executed innovative oil and gas processing target 3 weeks ahead of schedule and on budget

By including statistics like these in your resume, you’re clearly outlining your measurable contributions to prospective employers and showing them you have an analytical mindset in the process.