Employing ChemE background for Alternative Energy Career

[kingbiscuit]

This is maybe not the right forum for this, but I am looking to get involved in alternative energy research/process design etc.

I graduated with a ChemE degree in 2002 from KU, so I don't know if companies would even be interested in me anymore. I am currently working in the pharmaceutical industry because I was thinking after college that I would want to go into bio-engineering, but I am hoping I can get into alternative energy industry. Pharma work can get a little routine and FDA regs are a drag. The favorite part of my job is changing the procedures and improving the process. I guess I am a Chem E at heart.

I am interested in cellulosic technologies/geothermal energy/algae biofuels. Anybody have any ideas on where I could get started in looking for jobs. I know that all of these industries must involve ChemE's because there is alot of heat transfer, extractions, and distillations going on. I just thought maybe I would get some insight here from someone in the field.

 

[FrancisL]

Kingbiscuit
I wish you the best of luck. It seems to me startlingly obvious that first we need to stop consuming the worlds resources faster than they are produced and second, the present situation is that there is a vast waste of resources going on. (for example being dragged down by inappropriately applied FDA regs that stop improvements but that's another issue)

 

[ApC2Kp]

kingbiscuit,

look thru the websites with pages for 100 + plants, projects and engineering design contractors on

http://www.ethanolrfa.org

http://wwww.ethanol.org

 

[Awmon]

I just recently graduated from KU. I don't know if you had the same design teacher, but if you know who the BBG is I would recommend asking him. He got me in touch with some alumni in CO when I was thinking the same thing. They were all working on starting small businesses in cellulosic with their proprietary techs. Mostly scale-up work. Don't forget where you came from, Rock Chalk.

Awmon

 

[cheute79]

I graduated about 30 years ago, and have been involved off and on in bio-fuels since about 2001. What does the school or year of graduation have to do with anything? If you are willing to limit yourself and exclude yourself, it makes it easy for a hiring firm or recruiter to write you off.

Be careful what you wish for, as well. Much of this field is populated with venture capital, startup firms, and "fueled" by grants, off-sets, and tax exemptions, so your employer could "disappear", your plant shut down, etc., almost at a sneeze from the economy or who is in political office. There are larger firms (Cargill, ADM), mid-size firms, and others who are either well established, in it for the long haul and are funded by secure profit makers, or have a niche. They also tend to be more risk-averse and are not cutting edge (regardless of what they like to say). I have worked for 2 mid-size engineering firms who have been involved in bio- and alternative fuels plant design and operation. If you know unit ops and bio-pharma, you have the technical skills. Your job is to sell yourself and be sufficiently confident (without being arrogant) to convince a company or client to hire you, and build a resume. And, if you want to be cutting edge, be willing to go for months without a job, and move around to find the next job.

cheute79