Engineering recruitment
Process Engineer Recruitment
Process engineers design and optimise industrial processes that convert raw materials into products, working in pharmaceutical, chemical, water, food and drink, and oil and gas sectors. This is a chemically and biochemically focused engineering discipline, distinct from manufacturing process engineering which concerns production line methods. Demand is sustained by regulatory investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, UK water industry capital spending, and the ongoing transition to lower-carbon energy processes. We place process engineers across the UK, from graduate IChemE members through to chartered CEng professionals.
What the role involves
- Developing and optimising chemical or biochemical processes using P&IDs and process flow diagrams (PFDs) as the primary technical documents
- Conducting HAZOP studies and process safety assessments, including COMAH and ATEX evaluations for hazardous area processes
- Designing and specifying process equipment including reactors, heat exchangers, distillation columns, and separation systems
- Scaling processes from laboratory or pilot scale to full production, managing the technical and compliance challenges of each scale transition
- Producing process design documentation: mass balances, heat and material balances, and process descriptions for engineering and regulatory review
- Supporting capital projects from feasibility through to commissioning, providing process engineering input across all project phases
Who employers are looking for
A BEng or MEng in Chemical Engineering is the standard academic qualification, and IChemE accreditation of the degree is preferred by most employers in regulated sectors. IChemE membership provides the professional body route, with chartered chemical engineer (CEng via IChemE) as the standard senior career milestone. HAZOP facilitator experience is valued at senior level, and is typically a prerequisite for principal or lead process engineering appointments in chemical and oil and gas businesses.
COMAH regulations knowledge is required for roles in COMAH upper-tier sites, covering chemical manufacturing, oil refining, and large-scale gas operations. Process simulation tool experience, specifically HYSYS, Pro/II, or gPROMS for steady-state and dynamic simulation, is valued but not universally required. Pharmaceutical process engineers require specific knowledge of GMP regulations (EU GMP, FDA 21 CFR), process validation, and tech transfer methodology.
Oil and gas process engineers command the highest salaries in this discipline, with experience on upstream or downstream capital projects in the North Sea or internationally a significant differentiator. Chartered IChemE engineers in senior process roles can reach £80,000 or above at principal level in larger organisations.
Salary benchmarks
Oil and gas process engineers command the highest salaries in this discipline. Pharmaceutical process engineers are in strong demand and typically earn above general manufacturing equivalents. Chartered IChemE engineers can reach £80,000+ in senior roles.
Industries that hire Process Engineers
- Pharmaceutical and biotech: process design and scale-up to GMP, with full process validation documentation required at each scale step
- Chemical manufacturing: process optimisation and plant design, typically on COMAH-regulated sites with safety case obligations
- Water and wastewater treatment: process design and optimisation for treatment works delivering clean water and effluent compliance
- Food and drink manufacturing: pasteurisation, fermentation, and separation process engineering, balancing yield, quality, and regulatory compliance
- Oil and gas and energy: upstream and downstream process engineering, with North Sea and international project experience highly valued
Related roles
- Commissioning Engineer: leads the testing and handover of new process plant that process engineers have designed
- Project Engineer: coordinates the capital project programme within which process engineers deliver their technical scope
- Systems Engineer: related discipline on complex integrated projects where process is one of multiple engineering domains
- Quality Engineer: works alongside process engineers in pharmaceutical and food sectors to validate processes and maintain GMP compliance
Where we place Process Engineer professionals
We place process engineer professionals across the UK. Browse by location or register your CV for roles that match your experience.
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