Chemical engineers invent, design, and manage products and processes that transform raw materials into valuable products using the latest knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics to ensure minimum loss of materials and consumption of energy. This value-adding must be safe, economical and environmentally sound. It is a rapidly changing profession with chemical engineers working at the cutting-edge of fields such as molecular biology, nano-materials and chemistry, physics, mathematics and information technology.

Chemical engineers design both products and the processes needed for their commercial-scale production. They also manage operation and optimisation of these processes to produce such products as petrol, plastics, instant coffee, pharmaceuticals, and artificial blood.

An innovative curriculum promotes the development of technical expertise and non-technical skills in communication and management through a mix of team based project work with traditional lecture based courses. This involves active learning and personal interaction between staff and students. Projects integrate content from courses across the curriculum into real world problem solving dealing with issues sourced from local industries and the latest research. You will learn from people working with the latest in engineering knowledge and at the interfaces of engineering and science, academia and industry.
A minor in Food Engineering is available.
There are active international student exchange and industry on-site learning programs. Chemical engineering has the largest numbers of students involved in these activities of any engineering discipline at UQ, and students are encouraged to consider the benefits of participation.

Chemical engineering is one of the most mobile and diverse careers you can choose. Your skills will allow you to work in a wide range of industries, government departments and private consultancies. For example you can work in: - Environmental protection, management and safety - Natural resource utilisation and the energy sector - Chemical, petroleum and petrochemical industries - Biochemical, biomedical and pharmaceuticals industries - Computer-aided process and control engineering - Advanced materials design and manufacture - Minerals processing and related industries - Food processing - Product design and development

New chemical engineering graduates are actively sought by employers for design, operations, research, development and management positions.