Chemical Engineering

Opportunities

Chemical engineers tend to work for large corporations with such job assignments as process engineering, design engineering, plant operation, research and development, sales, and management. They also work for federal and state government agencies on projects related to environmental problems, defense, energy, and health-related research.

Some major employers of Drexel’s chemical engineering graduates are DuPont, Merck, BASF, ExxonMobil, Rohm & Haas, and Air Products. A number of graduates go on to pursue master’s and/or doctoral degrees. Graduate schools that Drexel’s chemical engineers have attended include the University of California at Berkeley and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others.

Co-Op Experiences

Drexel is located in downtown Philadelphia with easy access to major pharmaceutical, chemical, and petroleum companies. When students complete their co-op jobs, they are asked to write an overview of their experiences. These brief quotes are taken from some recent student reports:

Research assistant, chemicals manufacturer: “Conducted research in a developmental polyamide process. Aspects included scale-up from bench-scale to batch demonstration, installation and calibration of on-line composition sensors, off-line analytical techniques to assess product quality, and interfacing with plant sites to define and standardize a critical quality lab procedure. Documented results in technical memos and in a plant presentation . . .I had a lot of freedom and responsibility. It was great interacting with other researchers and
technicians. Everyone was so helpful. ”

Co-op engineer, chemicals manufacturer: “Created material safety data sheets, which involved chemical composition, hazard communication, occupational safety and health, emergency response, and regulatory issues for numerous products and wastes. Handled domestic and international regulatory reviews. Determined hazardous waste reporting requirements, handling and disposal procedures. Evaluated toxicological and ecological data for assessment of hazard ratings. Provided input on product safety technical reports. ”

Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.