Your degree in Chemical Engineering

Skills you’ll develop

While studying Chemical Engineering, you’re learning to convert raw materials into value-added products with consideration to safety, cost, and sustainability. You’re developing important skills to develop and implement energy-efficient and eco-friendly industrial processes.

These skills may include:

• Application of principles related to thermodynamics, transport phenomena, reactor design, and unit operations to manufacture materials and renewable energy
• Design, development, and evaluation of processes, techniques, and equipment to separate complex mixtures
• Formulation of product specifications, test protocols, and measurement capabilities
• A continuous improvement mindset to the development of new chemical processes, reactions, and materials for cleaner production
• Development of quality control, safety protocols and environmental prevention, and control technologies to reduce solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes
• Conducting economic and technical feasibility studies for resource-based processing industries
• Usage of process simulation software, advanced instruments, machines, and lab equipment across chemistry, biology, and medicine

Career possibilities

Career opportunities vary widely across a range of fields including manufacturing and processing, energy, healthcare, pulp and paper, oil and gas, agriculture, plastics and composite materials, and environmental management, and others.

There are many career paths that can combine your academics, skills, and experience with your different interests. Read through the job titles below for ideas. Some career options may require further education or training.

Visit the National Occupational Classification website to research basic requirements and responsibilities of jobs in your field.

Make the most of your program

Your experiences will open doors to new opportunities and help clarify your values and interests.

• UBC Envision, UBC American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Chapter
  Apply your knowledge and work on a real-world project from energy research to automated beer brewing.
• UBC Chem-E-Car
  Collaborate with peers to design and build a car powered only by chemical reactions, and compete in the annual competition.
• CHBE Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series
  Learn about innovation and advancement in the field from various scholars from around the globe.
• Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, UBC Student Chapter
  Network with industry professionals and attend guest lectures to learn about the mining field and potential career paths.
• GreenChem UBC
  Meet like-minded individuals who are interested in sustainable chemical research. 
• UBC Oil and Gas Initiative
  Attend panel discussions and networking events pertaining to the energy industry.
• Common Energy UBC
  Join one of 6 action teams to implement sustainability initiatives and practices into all aspects of the UBC community.
• Departmental research opportunities
  Reach out directly to faculty members to ask about potential research positions.
• UBC Engineering Co-op
  Gain work experience in chemical engineering between study terms.
• Innovation OnBoard
  Learn about the world of entrepreneurship and join a competition team to develop your entrepreneurial skills.
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers Pacific Northwest Student Regional Conference
  Compete in the ChemE Jeopardy competition, or the paper or poster competition at the conference.
• Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference and Exhibition
  Take advantage of the diverse social and technical events specific to students at the annual conference held in October.
• Engineering job board
  Check out engineering employment opportunities.

Build your network

Employers often hire people they know, so help them get to know you. You can build your network through clubs, classes, informational interviews, and more. There are so many ways to make connections and find mentors.

The professional associations below are also great resources for meeting people, learning about specific industries, and finding job and volunteer opportunities. Most have reduced membership rates for students and new grads.

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC
• Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Canada
• BC Sustainable Energy Association
• BC Water & Waste Association
• BIOTECanada
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
• Canadian Biomaterials Society
• Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology
• Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum
• Canadian Paint and Coatings Association
• Canadian Society for Bioengineering
• Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
• Canadian Society of Professional Engineers
• Canadian Textile Industry Association
• Chemical Institute of Canada
• Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
• Clean Energy BC
• Cosmetics Alliance Canada
• Engineering Institute of Canada
• Engineers & Geoscientists BC
• Engineers Canada
• Institute of Industrial Engineers
• Personal Care Products Council
• Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada
• Responsible Distribution Canada
• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers Canada

Connect with alumni on LinkedIn

Find UBC Chemical Engineering graduates on LinkedIn to learn about where they’re working, and their career and academic paths.

More information

From your Applied Science degree, you’ll develop skills and experiences that can translate into many career paths. Check out other things you can do with your Engineering degree.