What does a Process Development Engineer do?

A process development engineer is responsible for determining, implementing, and correcting procedures for an industrial company. This type of engineer is interested in how to create an environment conducive to building or transforming a product. This may include working with the methods for building, the equipment used to make the product, and the training and supervision of others within the organization.

Often, this individual is responsible for supervising the entire process used to make or alter something. This type of engineer will oversee different aspects of product creation or modification and will determine how to best design procedures to carry out various functions of the project. He is responsible for taking a project from beginning to end through the creation of procedures, the purchasing or upgrading of equipment, the supervision of the project team, and collaboration with other company workers. Other job duties may include calculating data, balancing materials, or supervising and testing conditions such as temperature.

Other aspects of this job may include management or purchasing activity. He may hire outside collaborators such as contractors, and he might also be in charge of previewing, ordering, and approving materials used in the final product. He will often be required to train company employees on proper practices and procedures, and he may supervise a staff, depending upon the size of the company or scope of the project.

A good knowledge base and experience are important for the process development engineer. This person will be knowledgeable about governmental safety standards and may be responsible for communicating with these agencies. He must also be aware of the company's environmental impact on employees and those in the surrounding area. Companies will often have a need for a process development engineer to have knowledge in a specific field, such as biotechnology or chemistry.

Safety is an important job duty for a process development engineer. Not only must he be aware of safe practices, but he will likely have to troubleshoot equipment and systems. A process engineer will ensure that all machinery and conditions create a conducive environment to meet company product goals and will help to determine how to repair equipment or modify the environment in the case of a failure.

Some process engineers spend the day on a production room or lab floor, checking equipment, tracking the status of projects, and facilitating the work of others. In some companies, this worker will spend time creating flow charts and similar reports to communicate process parameters with employees and management. This type of job can vary greatly depending upon the business model of the company.