Chemical Engineer Resume | The Ultimate Writing Guide + Tips
Becoming a chemical engineer may not be every person’s dream job, making it an exciting career path for individuals interested in this field. Chemical engineering is a versatile branch of engineering that allows individuals to work in numerous industries while drawing inspiration from different disciplines. It is also one of the most sought-after careers in the life sciences.
Arther Wessels Chemical Engineer 423-198-786 arthurwessels@gmail.com New York, NY Linkedin.com/in/arthurwessels
Professional Summary
Experienced Chemical Engineer with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and over eight years of industry experience. Collaborated with all staff, including managers, to exchange complicated technical, manufacturing process, and industrial information, increasing efficiency by 25%. Skilled in implementing safety procedures and product production processes.
Work experience
SDG Manufacturing Senior Chemical Engineer January 2020-Date
Cut overall expenditures by 35% by scheduling regular maintenance and increasing the lifespan of facility equipment.
Designed new and improved chemical processes and investigated the functions and properties of various chemical compounds.
Worked with other engineers to ensure plant operations complied with safety regulations and processes.
Identified the critical details of the chemical process that needed to be conducted in a specialized laboratory to ensure the safety of the employees.
Yedil Construction Junior Chemical Engineer June 2014-December 2019
Worked on various research projects to ensure product quality and monitor quality control of the products.
Tasked with overseeing the conversion of raw materials to new products with minimal environmental impact.
Collaborated with other chemical plants to conduct research on new technology in the industry.
Assisted the senior chemical engineer in identifying capital projects that required extra funding.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering New York University December 2013
Additional activities
Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Certification
Certified Chemical Engineer - National Certification Commission in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineers can work in healthcare, biotechnology, food processing, business services, construction, design, and manufacturing. An impressive chemical engineer resume is essential regardless of the industry you want to get into if you're going to beat the other candidates.
Chemical engineering resumes highlight your relevant experience, skills, and top achievements and convince the hiring manager to call you for a job interview. You can check out our resume examples which are an excellent guide for you to create your own resume.
In this article, we'll also give you resume writing tips that will help you write a chemical engineering resume that stands out to increase your chances of landing more interviews.
Additional information about the Chemical Engineering Job Market
According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, employment of chemical engineers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations, at a rate of 9 percent from 2020 to 2030.
The industries with the highest employment levels in chemical engineers include chemical manufacturing, architectural engineering and related services, scientific research and development services, petroleum and coal products manufacturing, and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation).
The average salary per year for a chemical engineer varies depending on the candidate's professional experience, skills, and education and is as follows:
0-2 years $79,000
2-4 years $91,000
4-7 years $109,000
7+ years $130,000
10+ years $146,000
How to make a resume for chemical engineering
Chemical engineering jobs require a well-structured resume that showcases your impressive achievements and is easy to follow. If you have all the desired qualifications and fail to present them properly, you will miss some amazing opportunities.
If writing a resume is not your strong suit, there are many chemical engineer resume examples you can look up to help you out. You can also check our resume templates to help you structure your chemical engineering resume, ensuring you do not leave out any vital information.
The structure of your resume should have the following sections:
The header
The resume summary/resume objective
Work experience section
Education section
Skills section
An additional section(languages, computer skills and certifications, awards/honors, volunteer work, and interests)
You can personalize your resume in the following ways:
Craft a new resume for each job application and tailor it to the required specifications.
Check the job description and add the correct keywords and action verbs to better your chances of beating the applicant tracking system.
Customize your title and ensure it is keyword optimized because it is the first thing the hiring manager will see.
Focus on adding the relevant experience that matches the requirements of the job you are applying for.
The layout for this resume
The ideal layout of your chemical engineering resume should be easy to read and understand. Your resume should be one page long with a font size of 10-12pt. While you may be tempted to use fancy fonts to make your resume look attractive, it is always better to use simple fonts that will be easy to read as the hiring manager looks through your resume. The recommended fonts are Calibri, Times New Roman, Cambria, and Arial.
The best format
The best format for your resume is the reverse-chronological format. This format focuses on experience and allows the candidate to showcase their professional expertise first on their resume.
Besides, hiring managers love this format.
If you do not have the experience, all is not lost for you. The functional resume format allows you to get the hiring manager's attention by showcasing your skills and education. Career changers can use this format to highlight transferable skills from past positions that will be useful in the new job.
Another format is the combination resume format that blends the best features of the reverse chronological and functional resume formats. This format highlights the candidate's experience and skills and is perfect for candidates with years of experience.
Start with the Header
The header section of your chemical engineering resume should be free of errors and mistakes. This is because it contains the contact information that the recruiting manager uses to reach you. The information you will add to this section includes your full name, job title, contact information, and a link to your LinkedIn profile, career blog, or website.
A good header
CORRECT
Gerald French
Chemical Engineer
356-432-764
geraldfrench@gmail.com
Washington, MD
linkedin.com/in/geraldfrench
A bad header
INCORRECT
Gerald French
Chemical Engineer
356-432-764
geraldfrench@gmail.com
3678 Adams Avenue
House number 34
Washington, MD
Date of birth 02/09/1994
linkedin.com/in/geraldfrench
Tip: Keep the header section short, including only the relevant contact information. It is also vital to have a professional email address because having an unprofessional one can cost you an opportunity.
A photo is unnecessary on your resume, and most recruiters advise against it because it increases the chance of discrimination and unconscious bias against a candidate. However, if you are required to have a photo on your resume, ensure it is a professional one.
Work Experience in Chemical Engineering Resume (+ what to do if you have no experience)
The work experience section allows you to list your previous work history that shows your expertise in the job at hand. Jobs for chemical engineers may require knowledge of large manufacturing processes or industrial chemical engineering processes, so you'll need to show your prospective employers you have what it takes to excel at the job.
You will start with the present company you work for and then list your previous workplaces. If you want to have a strong chemical engineer resume that stands out, don't stop at listing your previous workplaces. Use bullet points to add three to five job duties and responsibilities under each workplace and include facts and figures that show your future employer the value you can bring to the company.
If you don't have experience, focus on highlighting the transferable skills relevant to the position and your educational qualifications. You can also use our resume for student engineers to give you tips on what you can include in your chemical engineer resume.
Example of work experience for graduate and entry-level chemical engineers
WestPoint Construction
Chemical Engineer Intern
March 2016-June 2017
Assisted the senior chemical engineer with writing reports of completed projects and updated the database to keep precise records for future use.
Communicated with vendors to determine and purchase the needed equipment and tools required to complete projects successfully.
Ensured new products were available on the date of scheduled public releases under strict deadlines.
Cleaned and lubricated machine components to ensure continued and uninterrupted performance.
Example of work experience for mid-level candidates
Ditto Design Group
Junior Chemical Engineer
January 2014-December 2017
Cooperated with mechanical engineers to design solutions for issues involving product development and maintenance.
Acted as team leader for a design group to improve operational efficiency in unit operations by sharing new and advanced technology.
Joined engineers and customers to review existing projects and make plans for potential future projects and products.
Submitted engineering change orders for management's review after designing them to boost project development.
Example of work experience for senior chemical engineers
Achelis Limited
Senior Chemical Engineer
October 2016-January 2020
Maintained department budgets and designed schedules to manage resources earmarked for each planned project effectively.
Established manufacturing and installation specifications by performing complex calculations on the unit processes.
Assessed customer requirements, professional drawings, and specifications to verify the requirements for the new components and processes of the planned project.
Assisted in initiating the drawing package so that it was more organized and increased productivity in manufacturing products.
Education: How to highlight it in your chemical engineering resume
Your educational qualifications will go a long way on your resume for a chemical engineering job. Most jobs require a bachelor's degree, so you shouldn't leave it out of your resume if you have one. A master's degree will better your chances of landing an interview, especially if the majority of the resumes do not have this qualification.
It's crucial to list your education correctly to ensure the recruiting manager sees it easily. You will start with the name of the degree, the name of the school, and the year of completion. If you have a Master's degree, you can leave out the high school diploma.
Example of the education in a Chemical Engineering Resume
MSc in Engineering Management
Washington University
September 2014
Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering
Washington State University
June 2010
What skills to put on a Chemical Engineer Resume
Getting a job is not always an easy task, so pulling all the stops is essential to ensure you land your dream job. Having the required years of experience and education qualifications may sometimes not be enough. The right candidate needs to showcase the perfect blend of experience, skills, and educational training.
Chemical engineering skills allow you to perform your duties efficiently and effectively. They also help your resume get past the ATS systems because hiring managers require specific skills before shortlisting the candidates who meet the requirements.
The perfect mix of hard and soft skills is necessary. Hard skills are specific abilities that are job-specific and can be learned through education or years of practice/experience. On the other hand, soft skills are character traits that showcase your personality and how you interact with people in a social environment.
Let's look at some essential skills you should add to your resume.
Hard skills
Project management
Word
Technical support
Data analysis
ChemCAD
MathLab
Operational analysis
Process design
Soft skills
Communication skills
Problem-solving
Interpersonal skills
Decision making
Organizational skills
Critical thinking
Time management
Leadership skills
About me: Resume summary for a chemical engineer resume.
A resume summary determines whether the hiring manager reads the rest of your resume or not. Think of it as a sales pitch where you need to convince the person you are pitching to buy into your idea.
In this case, you need to convince the recruiter to take their time and read your resume to see what you can do based on your experience, skills, and educational qualifications. Your resume summary, which is the second section after the header, needs to be catchy and engaging.
CORRECT EXAMPLE
Expert Chemical Engineer with more than six years of proven experience in designing and manufacturing chemistry lab equipment. Proficient in conducting research to determine the chemical compounds that impact waterproofing technologies. Increased the company's revenue by 45% after developing a new line of products that introduced the company to a new market.
The example above details the candidate's years of experience and highlights the specific tasks they can do. It also mentions an achievement with figures that shows the recruiter the value they could bring to the company.
INCORRECT EXAMPLE
Dedicated and accomplished chemical engineer with extensive experience in project management. Technical expertise in production processes.
This example above is vague and does not feature any accomplishment that can get the hiring manager's attention and convince them to read the candidate's resume.
Professional objective: The best alternative for inexperienced candidates
If you don't have professional experience in the job you want, don't shy away from applying for the position because you don’t have achievements to add to the resume summary. You can add a professional/resume objective that allows you to showcase your skills, talk about your career goals and how they align with the company goals and show your enthusiasm and excitement for the position.
A resume objective is perfect for career changers and recent graduates who may not have the required experience in the job they are applying for.
CORRECT EXAMPLE
Highly motivated chemical engineer looking to provide engineering support and share safety and product development skills in the manufacturing department. Eager to apply my knowledge of various production processes to improve production capacity and achieve company goals.
This example above refers to the skills and knowledge the candidate has that will benefit the potential employer if they are given the opportunity.
Additional sections for your resume
Every job seeker applies for a job hoping to get it, but this is not always the case due to so much competition. One way to beat the competition and become a front runner for the position you want is by including an additional section to your resume. This section allows you to add more qualifications to your resume and enables the recruiting manager to know more about you and what you can do.
Some of the sections you can add to your resume include:
Computing Skills & Certifications
Some resume samples will have the computer skills in the skills section, and while this is okay, the recruiting manager can miss them easily. It is always better to list your computing skills in a separate section to ensure the recruiting manager does not miss them. Chemical engineers require computing skills for numerical analysis, modeling and simulation, product design, and monitoring and control of process dynamics.
Certifications also help your resume stand out and should have a separate section so that the recruiter sees them easily. Here are some certifications that will allow your chemical engineering resume to stand out:
Level 2 Laboratory Lubricant Analyst
Certified Chemical Engineer
Certified Reliability Engineer
Languages
Your language skills can make a difference in your resume and set you apart from the other candidates. Therefore, you should not leave them out of your resume. You will use the official language reference when listing them as follows:
Goethe Zertifikat or TestDaF for German
TOEFL or IELTS for English
SIELE for Spanish
Publications
Your publications should not be left out of your chemical engineering resume. You will list them in their section, starting with the title of the publication, the name of the website, magazine or journal, and the year.
For example,
"Process Safety in the chemical industry," Journal of Advanced Manufacturing and Processing, May 2019
References
Some hiring managers request references. In such cases, you should include them in your resume. If it’s not a requirement, you can leave them out and maximize the space on your document to showcase your skills, experience, and education, but have the list of referees ready in case the recruiter asks for them later in the recruitment process.
When listing your references, you will start with their full name, job title, company name, phone number, and email address.
Tips to boost your resume
Here are some tips to help you boost your resume
Use action words and relevant keywords to help your resume beat the applicant tracking systems.
Choose the correct format and layout that best represents your qualifications.
Quantify your achievements to allow your resume to stand out.
Personalize the job title to match the job you are applying for.
Use bullet points to display information that you do not want the recruiter to miss in your resume.
Proofread your resume to ensure it does not have any spelling or grammatical mistakes.
Summary: Writing a perfect resume for jobs in chemical engineering
Check the information in your header section before sending out your resume to ensure it is free of errors.
Write a catchy resume summary/objective to get the recruiting manager to read the rest of your resume.
Your chemical engineering resume should have a header section, resume summary/objective, work experience section, education section, skills section, and an additional section(languages, computer skills and certifications, awards/honors, volunteer work, and interests)
The layout of your resume should be easy to read and understand, and the length should be one page.
Check the job description for some of the skills you need in your resume to beat the ATS systems.
Write a Cover Letter that matches your resume
Your application is incomplete without a cover letter unless the recruiting manager states that they do not require one. Cover letters allow the candidate to talk more about their accomplishments, skills, and experience and show the recruiting manager how their goals align with the company goals. With the help of our cover letter examples, you can create your cover letter that will allow your application to stand out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a mechanical engineering resume and a chemical engineering resume?
The structure of a chemical and mechanical engineering resume is similar, but the content filled out under each section in the resumes will be different because these are two distinct career paths.
Which technical skills can be on a chemical engineer resume and an electrical engineer resume?
CORRECT
INCORRECT
