Chemical engineers use their skills in chemistry, mathematics, and physics to solve complex problems. Industries such as food manufacturing, energy, and environmental conservation employ these professionals to craft innovative solutions for issues they’re tackling.
This type of engineer deals with hazardous materials, and the wrong ratio may lead to disastrous results. Because of the possible implications of the work that these engineers do, you must assemble a team that possesses the following skills:
Analytics
A career in chemical engineering entails a consistent need to analyze data, problems, and solutions. A good engineer should strive to see the bigger picture and identify the bottlenecks of the process to make it more efficient.
Attention to Detail
Knowing the specifics of each process and noticing when something is amiss is why attention to detail is a crucial for skill for chemical engineers.
To create efficient solutions, an engineer should understand that the output should be the goal of its individual parts, but the parts must be working flawlessly to ensure no negative implications.
Communication
Communicating with other team members is critical to keeping operations running smoothly. This is why it’s essential that you have a chemical engineer with this skill to make sure that everyone’s on the same page and can foster a collaborative culture.
Additionally, the ability to effectively communicate problems, solutions, and processes to management is a quality that excellent communicators have. They do this by removing jargon and simplifying results for teammates who are not versed in these technicalities.
Computer Savvy
As new technologies are released, an engineer must have the skills to navigate them and integrate them into their workflow to keep their operations as efficient as possible.
Chemical engineers use programs for process simulators such as AVEVA, Aspen, and MATLAB in their roles. Engineers must also have Microsoft Excel proficiency to accurately encode and analyze data. Working knowledge of Python, a programming language, also comes in handy for syncing systems with their projects.
Decision-Making
Engineers need to decide between processes, materials, and personnel in their job. These decisions can prove to be too much for anyone, which is why lead chemical engineers must be analytical when data is presented in front of them, steadfast in their decision-making, and have foresight to anticipate consequences.
Forecasting
Forecasting the demand of clients and ordering the right number of reagents for daily operations while preparing for emergencies is, quite literally, a science. This is because ordering too many materials may lead to increased business expenses, and ordering too little may lead to loss in business.
This skill isn’t limited to just ordering materials, chemical engineers also use this skill to estimate the required time and manpower to produce orders.
Leadership
Having a professional who can set the standard of excellence for their team is an asset for any industry.
A leader isn’t just there to lift their team to the next level, they’re also essential to keeping up good team dynamics. Ideally, the lead chemical engineer should be proactive in learning the strengths and weaknesses of individuals on their team and recognizing any growth opportunities for them.
Mathematics
Chemical engineers deal with numbers in their day-to-day operations. While advanced software is available for engineers to perform complex problems and conceptualize theoretical models, plugging the right values into these platforms calls for a certain level of mathematical proficiency.
A good grasp of mathematical concepts is also needed by chemical engineers when considering thermodynamics, chemical reactions, and process design.
Organization
As with any professional, organization is the key to a flawless system.
In chemical engineering, the misplacement of reagents, improper return of safety gear, and poor materials storage can lead to significant delays for the project – because things are not where they’re supposed to be when needed.
In addition to that, chemical engineers utilize dangerous substances in their profession, which is why keeping their stations clean and organized is essential to the job.
Patience
In the field of chemical engineering, professionals are often faced with theoretical results and achieving this in real life may take time. This is why it’s important that you find a chemical engineer who has the patience and determination to continuously work on their projects even if it may take some time to achieve.
Visualization
Finally, you’ll want to hire a chemical engineer who can see the bigger picture. A good chemical engineer must be able to see where and how everything fits.
Visualizing a problem and its possible solution is the first step to solving it. During visualization, the chemical engineer must picture the reagents, materials, and personnel needed to finish the task.
How Can a Chemical Engineering Staffing Company Help?
Finding a proficient chemical engineer is difficult, but once you consider all the skills that they must have, it becomes much harder. This is where a staffing company for chemical engineers can come in and help you. A staffing company can source a number of candidates for the job, and you can simply choose who is the best fit for the position.
If you’re looking for a staffing agency that can help your company, you can rely on blueStone to get the job done. blueStone has helped hundreds of organizations hire the right employee for the job. We automate your hiring process and find high-quality candidates for your organization through our network of professionals.
Reach out to us today to learn more about our chemical engineer staffing services.
