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What is a refining engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a refining engineer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $47.02 an hour? That's $97,797 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 1,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreRefining EngineerUS Average
Salary
7.5

Avg. Salary $97,797

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.2

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.32%

Asian 14.03%

Black or African American 1.31%

Hispanic or Latino 7.18%

Unknown 3.43%

White 73.74%

Gender

female 11.11%

male 88.89%

Age - 40
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40
Stress level
5.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a refining engineer

  1. Explore refining engineer education requirements

    Most common refining engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    87.5 %

    High School Diploma

    6.3 %

    Master's

    6.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific refining engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cost Estimates67.66%
    Decision Support Packages12.59%
    Corporate Standards10.18%
    Distillation9.57%
  3. Complete relevant refining engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New refining engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a refining engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real refining engineer resumes.
  4. Research refining engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
    • Reduce nuisance alarms in processes in honeywell TDC 3000 DCS.
    • Document weld inspection results on weld data sheets, weld data records and NDT inspection reports.
    • Conduct geotechnical and environmental subsurface investigations.
  5. Prepare your refining engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your refining engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a refining engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable refining engineer resume templates

    Build a professional refining engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your refining engineer resume.
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
    Refining Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for refining engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a refining engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first refining engineer job

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Average refining engineer salary

The average refining engineer salary in the United States is $97,797 per year or $47 per hour. Refining engineer salaries range between $66,000 and $144,000 per year.

Average refining engineer salary
$97,797 Yearly
$47.02 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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