How many hours do chemical engineers work?

Chemical engineers that work in chemical testing also might put in longer shifts in the 10 to 12 hour per day range. However, these chemical engineers can also experience long periods away from work when putting in longer shifts.

Where exactly a chemical engineer works can also contribute to varying work schedules in the field. Examples include:

• Chemical engineers in the private sector

Most chemical engineers working in the private sector work 40 hours per week. However, some have to put in overtime due to project demands. This may also cause them to work outside of the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule.

When working on tight deadlines or very important projects chemical engineers can find themselves working extra early or extra late.

• Chemical engineers in the public sector

Chemical engineers who work in the public sector, such as at government agencies like NASA, often have more stable and predictable work hours. These also tend to be around 40 hours or more per week. Emergencies can see these engineers working outside of their normal schedule or committing to overtime work hours.

• Traveling chemical engineers

Some chemical engineers have to travel for their job and this can impact their daily work schedules and the number of hours they work in different ways. Sometimes chemical engineers might be required to work long hours or weekends when traveling for a project. This is because many chemical engineering projects have strict deadlines that must be met.

• Freelance chemical engineers

Freelance chemical engineers tend to have the most flexible work schedules of any chemical engineer. These professionals take on different projects from clients and can choose their work schedules to a certain degree. But this also means they might have to work longer hours to meet a particular client's demands.