ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an outline of the many diverse roles that chemical and biomolecular engineers (ChBE) hold in society. These roles are the core of ChBE practice:
ChBE roles in the lifecycle of a chemical process plant
choice of desired product(s)
product research, development, and engineering
green engineering
inherently safer design
process research and development
preliminary process selection, conceptual engineering, and preliminary design and cost estimate
site selection
permitting
front-end engineering design and plot-plan development
detailed design, cost estimate and budgeting
project authorization and project management
construction
commissioning
start-up and operation
optimization and maintenance
closure, recycle of equipment and piping, and restoration of sites
ChBE roles in biological engineering
ChBE roles in biomolecular engineering
ChBE roles in biomedical engineering and medicine
ChBE roles in middle and corporate management
ChBE roles in energy engineering
ChBE roles in environmental engineering
ChBE roles in food engineering
ChBE roles in government
ChBE roles in health, safety, security, and environmental management
ChBE roles in law
intellectual law for new processes and new products
regulatory affairs and permitting
corporate law, especially in the process industries
ChBE roles in materials engineering and metallurgy
ChBE roles in petroleum engineering
ChBE roles in process safety management
ChBE roles in project management
ChBE roles in nanotechnology and microelectronic engineering
ChBE roles in industrial research and development
ChBE roles in university teaching and research
This is not a complete list of where ChBEs work, but rather a representation of some of the activities and roles where graduates in these two engineering disciplines use the basic ChBE principles to provide value and solve many of society’s most pressing and enduring technological challenges. This list shows how broad and flexible a chemical and/or biomolecular engineering degree can be.
