Process Engineer
Designs, implements and optimises industrial processes across manufacturing industries.
Overview
A Process Engineer is a professional who designs, implements and optimises industrial processes in the Manufacturing industry. Process Engineers utilise their knowledge of Science to create materials that people can use every day. Process Engineering covers a vast range of industries like petrochemical, agriculture, chemical, advanced material, food, mineral processing, pharmaceuticals and so on.
Where they work
- Mechanical assembly
- Petrochemicals
- Agriculture
- Automotive
- Biotechnical
- Material development
- Mining
- Nuclear
- Pharmaceutical sector
Work environment
You will usually work for 5 to 6 days a week and 8 to 9 hours everyday. This may vary from company to company. Shift system might be applicable.
Opportunities for differently abled exist in this field.
Skills and interests
This career might suit you if…
- You like Science and Maths
- You like to do experiments
- You like to analyse problems
- You are good with computers
- Problem solving and process planning
- Design skills
Eligibility and education roadmap
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment.
- 1Complete 10+2 in the Science Stream (Physics, Chemistry and Maths).
- 2Complete Bachelor's degree (B.Tech./B.E./B.Sc.) in Process Engineering.
Forms, exams and applications
For admissions, you must qualify entrance examination conducted at national level (JEE Main, JEE Advanced etc.) or State level (WBJEE, AP EAMCET etc.) or Institute level (VET, IP etc.). Check the official notification for current eligibility and dates.
Exam names above are as printed in the source card. Application windows, eligibility and syllabi change — always check the official notification for current dates.
Where to apply
The card names the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, which does not match this career; process engineering is normally taught in chemical or mechanical engineering departments. This list of institutes is indicative only.
Government institutes
- Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Uttarakhand
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
- National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
- National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, Karnataka
- Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
- Netaji Subhas University of Technology, New Delhi
Private institutes
Please check if the institute is affiliated and accredited before applying.
- Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan
- Institute of Technical Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- The University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
- Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Tamil Nadu
- Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
- Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu
- Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, Karnataka
Distance learning
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
These institute lists are indicative examples from the source card, not a ranked or complete directory. Always verify accreditation on the institute's official website.
Career outcomes
Growth path
- 1Assistant Engineer
- 2Process Engineer
- 3Process Engineer Manager
- 4General Manager
- 5Director
Related careers to explore
Chemical Engineer
Turns raw materials into useful products, designing and running the plants and machinery that do it.
Industrial Engineer
Increases an industry's productivity by improving the design and utility of its production process.
Student action plan
What you can do this month
- Read this whole roadmap and note any subjects, exams or institutes you don't recognise yet.
- Talk to a teacher or school counsellor about how your current subjects connect to Science, Maths.
- Look for a school club, competition or online course related to analysing.
- Shortlist 2–3 institutes from the list above and check their official website for current admission details.
- Save this career and compare it with 1–2 others you're considering.
Example from the field
Isabel Pazmiño-Mayorga — A Process Engineer and a doctoral researcher at the University of Manchester. She has pursued her PhD at the Centre for Process Integration at the University of Manchester. After graduating from Escuela Politécnica Nacional in Quito, Ecuador, she assumed the position of a Product Development Engineer in a cement company. She is currently working towards her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester.
SourceThis profile is shared for training/educational purposes only, as printed in the source card.
Sources and update notice
- Career card source: Exploring Career Paths with Career Cards, Volume 2, printed page 523 (NCERT / UNICEF India / PSSCIVE Bhopal, First Edition, April 2025).
- Income source: https://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Job=Process_Engineer/Salary
- Last reviewed on this site: 2026-08-21
Two problems on this card: the "where will you study" panel names the Department of Computer Science and Engineering rather than a process- or chemical-engineering department, and NIT Trichy is placed in Kerala (it is in Tamil Nadu, corrected here).
Eligibility, fees, exam patterns and admissions change often. Always verify current details on official institute, exam-body or government websites before making decisions.