Chemical Engineer Resume: Free Template, Top Tips & Examples

Ready to fuel your ability to write a strong experienced or even entry level resume? Get prepared for a mass transfer of detailed information from us to you to ensure you’re creating your best chemical engineering resume!
We’ll cover how to present a resume headline; note the best resume format; detail how to produce a powerful objective or summary; describe the work history section for an experienced chemical engineer resume and a resume no experience; list which skills for chemical engineering are best; and much more.
You could also apply much of this information for an internship if this is how you intend to begin your career.
Before you begin molding a chemical engineering resume template for your particular experience and skillset, ask yourself:
- How do I best compose a strong objective or summary?
- What is the best way to formulate the Education section of your resume?
- Which skills would stand out on your chemical engineering resume?
Besides all this information, you can also access our free online resume builder, a tool that will help guide you as you create your professional document.
There are also resume templates you can check out to ensure full optimization of your document’s format and sections.
Check Out This Solid Chemical Engineering Resume Sample
Gauge what will work best for your own resume by taking in a full chemical engineering resume sample like this one:
[George H. Bosch]
[Chemical Engineer]
[10 Langer Drive, Boston, MA 02108 | 617-555-2011 | haberbosch1940@hotmail.com]
Summary
Experience, resourceful Chemical Engineer bringing more than 10 years of experience in innovative project management and process design in the industry. Through exceptional collaborative efforts and extensive knowledge of chemical manufacturing processes and industry information, have achieved an average of 25% increase in efficiency in chemical plant operations, chemical research, quality control, and facility equipment maintenance.
Experience
Senior Chemical Engineer
09/2019 to Current
Hutchinson-Rousseau Manufacturing, Boston, MA
• Managed a team of six chemical engineers in areas of equipment maintenance, process design and implementation, systems evaluation, and formula development.
• Resolved issues with emulsion process resulting in an initial 12% increase in productivity over a 6-week period.
• Tested and analyzed chemical compounds of adhesive products.
• Maintained adherence to OSHA safety regulations.
• Performed industrial site audits on a quarterly basis.
Chemical Engineer
06/2014 to 08/2019
Kletz Corporation, Cambridge, MA
• Assisted in the development of improved chemical processes for household cleaning products leading to a 20% increase in quality management.
• Developed facility equipment maintenance schedule resulting in an 11% reduction in expenditures by reducing solvent use.
• Performed analyses of chemical formulas intended to increase cleaning effectiveness of manufactured products as part of a 4-member team; recommended formulas led to an increase in consumer ratings and consumption and an overall increase of 15% in sales.
• Ensured compliance with local and federal safety regulations.
Junior Chemical Engineer
04/2011 to 05/2014
Dermont-Manning Co., Wellesley, MA
• Introduced new chemical blend for use in manufacture of fertilizer products as part of 6-member team that led to a 17% increase in product effectiveness.
• Monitored environmental impact of raw materials conversion.
• Prepared test data review reports.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, 2011
Rochester Institute of Technology, New York
Skills
- Process design
- Product testing
- Project management
- Production optimization
- Chemical equipment configuration
- Atomic absorption spectroscopy
- Hazardous waste management/removal
- Biofiltration water treatment systems
- Water pollution prevention planning
- Expert knowledge of OSHA regulations
- Collaborative
- Teamwork
- Analytical
- Organizational
- Communication
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving
Activities
- Member, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
- Co-author, article, “Exploring New Processes in Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies”, ScienceDirect (January 2021)
You’re sure to develop chemistry with the right employer when you present a document similar to this sample.
Entry Level Chemical Engineer Resume Sample
Does having little experience as a chemical engineer dilute your chances of landing a job?
There are absolute zero reasons why having no extensive experience would stop you from being a viable candidate for a chemical engineer position.
Well, the ONLY reason would be not having an effective resume.
So, if you don’t have any experience, you might create an internship resume or even a chemical engineering student resume.
For a resume like this, your experience section might contain an entry similar to the one below:
Right ✅
Chemical Engineer Intern
06/2021 to 08/2022
Welch Products, Salem, MA
• Assisted in implementing new chemical treatment program for polymer manufacturing.
• Played a role on team assigned to perform simulated catalyst formulations to measure feasibility of introducing these formulations based on pressure, flow rate, and other factors.
• Assessed chemical safety procedures and processes.• Reported effects of possible contaminants in manufacturing process.
Other information that you might find on a resume no experience as compared to an experience one would be a more detailed education section; rather than simply stating degree earned, name of institution, and date degree was awarded, you might add relevant coursework, GPA, and any student organizations you were active in.
Career Objective for Chemical Engineer Resume
While a professional summary would be included for those with experience, what do you add to a resume with no experience? In this case, you would start off with an objective.
What is the best chemical engineer resume objective? Well, that is up to each applicant but a good one might look like this:
Right ✅
Motivated chemical engineering graduate seeking challenging position as a junior chemical engineer. Familiarity with thermal analyzers, chemical simulators, and heat transfer processes. Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Another objective in resume for chemical engineer fresher example:
Right ✅
Chemical engineer intern seeking to apply knowledge of industrial chemical processing equipment and testing procedures in a junior or assistant role. Bringing innovative approach to the application of chemical engineering principles, with strong analytical, collaborative, and organizational skills. Background in manufacturing design and troubleshooting practices.
If you’re applying at a specific company as an inexperienced chemical engineer, mention the company name in the first line of your objective; i.e., “Junior Chemical Engineer hoping to apply technical skills and engineering knowledge in a challenging position at Haensel Machining.”
A Strong Chemical Engineering Resume Starts with a Cohesive Format
You can have the most extensive chemical engineering background and education, well-developed skills, and the most sought-after professional certifications, but it will all matter little if you don’t have the right chemical engineering resume format.
The right format will be among the first things to catch a hiring manager’s eye. Make sure your resume headline for chemical engineer is in proper font size and has only the required information: name, address, contact information, and professional email. If you have a social media page that highlights your skillset and experience, such as a LinkedIn page, you might add that as well.
Be sure your resume used a consistent font size throughout—between 10- and 12-pt., slightly larger for section headings; the right white space that’s agreeable for most applicant tracking systems (ATS), and use of action verbs to start off bulleted lists.
Reverse-chronological is likely the best resume format for experienced chemical engineering, although those with no experience might list their skills and education first.
Take a look at our best resume format page to get an idea of what your chemical engineering resume layout should look like.
A Strong Work History is the Base of Your Chemical Engineering Resume
The last thing you want on a resume is a Work History section that lacks energy.
A poorly constructed Work History just might evaporate any chances you have to land a position as a chemical engineer!
Don’t lose this opportunity to shine…be sure to add in all the details of your responsibilities, accomplishments, and skillset in this section of your resume.
💡top tip
It’s best to use reverse-chronological order for the Work History of your experienced chemical engineer resume.
Wrong ❌
Chemical Engineer
Smoot Chemical Manufacturing
Provo, UT
7/2020 – 01/2022
- Developed best practices in production methods.
- Investigated problems with chemical equipment.
- Ensured adherence to safety.
- Worked with project engineers and specialists.
An entry like this will just have a lot of hiring managers crying for clarification!
Instead, put all the elements necessary to impress hiring managers in your Work History section.
Like this:
Right ✅
Chemical Engineer
Smoot Chemical Manufacturing
Provo, UT
7/2020 – 01/2022
- Formulated compounds to assist in expediting the production of household cleaning products.
- Implemented sustainable manufacturing process, resulting in 30% reduction in production costs.
- Improved maintenance on chemical equipment, realizing a 14% work procedure improvement.
- Directed safe production of sodium hypochlorite for liquid household cleaners.
- Trained junior engineers in safety protocols.
This kind of Work History listing will certainly help you bond with hiring managers and could be the catalyst that leads you to landing that next open chemical engineer position.
Remember: you can take a look at our modern and professional templates to give you an idea of what your resume might look like.
Education Details Do Matter on a Chemical Engineering Resume
Understanding chemical compounds and analyzing chemical reactions are not typically second-hand knowledge, so when it comes to your resume, you’ll need to let potential employers know about your formal studies.
Many employers require a chemical engineer to hold a bachelor’s degree in this field, so it’s important to include this achievement on your resume.
Your Education section might look like this:
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, 2021
University of New Hampshire
The above example is about all you’ll need if you are an experienced chemical engineer.
Start with the highest degree; if you earned or are pursuing a master’s degree, put that information before your bachelor’s degree details.
If you have not yet been awarded the graduate degree, list it as follows:
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (in progress)
University of New Hampshire
Expected graduation date June 2023
Entry level chemical engineering resume examples of an Education section might look like this:
Relevant Courses:
- Fluid Mechanics
- Process Dynamics and Control
- Chemical Engineering Design
- Heat Transfer and Unit Operations
- Chemical Principles for Engineers
- Introduction to Chemical Engineering I & II
💡top tip
Do not list your GPA if it is not at least 3.5.
Bring Energy to a Chemical Engineering Resume with a List of Relevant Skills
It not only takes knowledge, it also takes a strong skillset to be a chemical engineer.
So, your Skills section should reflect all the chemistry, technical, and troubleshooting skills you possess to let hiring managers know you are capable of handling the duties of a chemical engineer position.
What are the best chemical engineering skills for resume? How should those skills be listed?
You could break up your skills between hard or technical and soft skills:
Soft Skills
- Troubleshooting
- Problem-solving
- Organizational
- Critical thinking
- Creative
- Decision-making
- Collaborative
Hard Skills
- ChemCAD
- AutoCAD
- MathLab
- Process design
- Chemical testing
- Data analysis
- Technical support
💡top tip
Study any skills indicated in the job posting you are replying to, and be sure to list any of those that apply.
For an entry level resume, or a no experience resume, you might place the Skills section at the top, following the career objective and before work history.
Our resume examples can give you a clear picture of how to arrange your skills on your chemical engineering resume.
Add Some Substance to Your Chemical Engineering Resume with Other Sections
Where do you add that important professional certification, or that professional membership, or relevant awards or accomplishments?
Those are details that are perfect for extra sections, whether it’s a fresh graduate resume, an entry level resume, an internship resume, or an experienced resume.
You might add the heading Additional Information, or you could add individual heading such as Professional Memberships; Certifications; Awards and Achievements; and even Publications if you’ve written or co-written articles for peer-reviewed online or print publications.
Extra sections are also a good place to add extracurricular activities, volunteer positions, and other abilities such as second language fluency. These details will show that you are not only well-rounded but hard-working, dedicated, and motivated.
Key Takeaway
As you can see with these chemical engineering resume examples, the solution to finding a job in the field takes the right information, and that information arranged correctly, on a strong resume.
Our online resume builder is designed to guide you through the resume process. There are also resume templates, downloadable in Google Docs or Word, so you can follow a chemical engineering resume template.
The following list helps to ensure that your resume has everything it needs. Be sure your document:
- Meets proper formatting guidelines, such as heading information, font sizes, and amount of white space.
- Introduces you to hiring managers with a powerful professional summary or career objective.
- Uses a detailed work history to show potential employers your work ethics, motivation, and willingness to take on responsibilities.
- Identifies which degree or degrees you have earned, with the name of the learning institution and the year you were awarded each degree. You can add relevant courses and other academic information if you have no prior chemical engineering experience.
- Highlights your skillset, with technical and soft skills clearly defined.
- Underscores your professional and education information with additional details naming certifications, awards, publications, and other accomplishments and activities.
Once you are sure your document contains all of the elements that make you a standout candidate for the next chemical engineer position you intend to pursue, you are ready to unleash your chemical engineering resume where we’re sure you’ll receive nothing but positive reactions.
Once you’ve built your environmental engineer resume from the groundwater up, you will have the kind of document that will take you on your next career step.