Chemical engineers use a special mix of biology, physics, math, and chemistry to figure out problems with large-scale production. These problems can happen in a lot of different fields and affect the making of fuel, drugs, materials, food, and other things.
A chemical engineer will typically work in a laboratory, refinery, or industrial plant. They can design equipment and processes for large-scale manufacturing, plan and test production methods and facility operations, and do many other things. Chemical engineers are very important to companies in many fields because they do research that helps them make new products and improve old ones.
Landing an internship as a chemical engineering student can be a challenging but rewarding process Chemical engineering internships provide invaluable hands-on experience and are often a pathway to a full-time job offer
To stand out from other applicants and impress recruiters, you need to thoroughly prepare for your internship interview. In this article, we’ll explore the most frequently asked chemical engineering intern interview questions and provide sample responses to help you craft confident answers.
Overview of Common Chemical Engineering Intern Interview Questions
Chemical engineering internship interviews typically cover a range of technical and behavioral questions. Here are some of the most common questions you’re likely to encounter
Technical Questions
- Explain the key principles of chemical engineering.
- Walk me through the steps of a distillation process.
- How would you go about troubleshooting issues with a piece of equipment or process?
- What safety precautions need to be taken when working in a chemical plant?
Behavioral Questions
- Why are you interested in an internship with our company?
- Tell me about a challenging engineering project you worked on. How did you approach it?
- Describe a time you made a mistake on a project. How did you handle it?
- How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple projects or deadlines?
Situational Questions
- You notice some safety risks with a piece of equipment you’re operating. What would you do?
- If you and a team member disagreed on how to approach a project, how would you handle it?
- If you were asked to take on an assignment you felt unprepared for, how would you handle it?
Thoroughly preparing responses to questions like these will help demonstrate your technical aptitude and soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Now let’s explore 15 of the most common chemical engineering internship interview questions in more detail.
15 Common Chemical Engineering Intern Interview Questions and Answers
1. Tell me about yourself.
This open-ended question is very common at the start of interviews. The interviewer wants a brief overview of your background and experiences relevant to the internship.
Sample Answer:
I’m currently a junior studying chemical engineering at State University. I’ve always been fascinated by science and technology and knew I wanted to major in engineering since high school.
In my studies so far, I’ve taken courses in areas like fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and process design. I also worked on a research project last summer developing a novel method for carbon capture using chemical absorption with amines.
Outside of classes, I’m the treasurer of the chemical engineering club and a volunteer tutor. I love having the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned in real-world settings. That’s why I’m very interested in an internship where I can gain more hands-on experience and develop my engineering skills.
2. Why are you interested in an internship with our company?
With this question, the interviewer wants to assess your interest in and knowledge of their company. Make sure you’ve researched the company thoroughly before your interview.
Sample Answer:
I’m very interested in an internship with Acme Chemical because of your leadership in developing innovative polymer products and commitment to sustainability. Reducing plastic waste is a cause I feel passionately about.
I also know Acme Chemical invests heavily in training and development programs for interns and new engineers. The chance to rotate through different departments and get exposure to various processes is very appealing to me at this stage in my career. This aligns well with my goal of exploring different areas of chemical engineering before specializing.
Acme also seems to have a collaborative culture that encourages employees at all levels to contribute ideas. I think this would be a motivating environment for an intern like myself.
3. Walk me through your resume.
Plan to talk through the experiences and achievements highlighted on your resume, explaining how they relate to the internship role. You can expect to expand on key points the interviewer asks about.
Sample Answer:
As you can see here, I’ve taken a range of chemical engineering courses covering topics like thermodynamics,Separations, kinetics, and process control. These have given me a strong foundation in the core principles of chemical engineering.
I also have lab experience from classes and research projects. For example, here I assisted a graduate student with their research on new methods for biodiesel production from algae. This project let me apply my lab skills in areas like GC analysis.
In terms of leadership experience, I’m the current treasurer of the ChemE club on campus. In this position, I oversee our budget and fundraising activities. This has helped me improve skills like organization, teamwork, and communication.
And last summer, I had an internship with D&M Pharmaceuticals. I supported process improvement projects focused on increasing yield. This gave me valuable experience with Six Sigma methodologies and working on cross-functional teams.
4. How would you handle a disagreement with your manager?
With this behavioral question, the interviewer wants to assess your conflict management style and professional maturity. Show that you can have a respectful dialogue and reach a constructive solution.
Sample Answer:
If I disagreed with my manager on a decision or approach to a project, I would first make sure I understand their reasoning and thinking. There may be factors I’m not considering that led them to that conclusion.
I would then explain my own perspective professionally and respectfully. I’d provide my logic and data to support my position. But I would also make it clear I’m open to discussing options to reach the best solution, not just insisting on getting my own way.
My goal would be to have a thoughtful dialogue where we both feel heard. With an internship, I would also recognize that the manager likely has more experience I can learn from. I want to show I can accept feedback maturely even when I have a different viewpoint initially.
5. Tell me about a time you failed at a task. What did you learn from it?
By asking about a failure, the interviewer is assessing your self-awareness, honesty, accountability, and growth mindset when faced with challenges. Keep your example professional and focus on lessons learned.
Sample Answer:
In one of my chemical engineering labs, we were tasked with setting up a distillation column and optimizing its performance. This involved adjusting variables like reflux ratio, boiler temperature, and flow rates.
I took the lead on determining our reflux ratio. Unfortunately, I miscalculated on one of the titrations used to measure composition. This threw off my reflux ratio suggestion. As a result, it took longer to tune the column and achieve separation of our target components.
From this experience I learned the importance of double-checking critical lab work and calculations. I also saw how small errors can impact overall project success. I now take more time to review my work, and will ask peers to check calculations or samples as well when it’s a crucial performance parameter.
6. How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple projects or deadlines?
This question reveals your time management abilities and how you logically determine what’s most important when faced with competing priorities.
Sample Answer:
When I’m balancing multiple projects and deadlines, I start by making a comprehensive list of all tasks and due dates.
I then think about the importance and urgency of each item – for example, is it tied to a critical project milestone or dependent on work from others? This helps me categorize tasks as high, medium or low priority.
I’ll block time on my calendar for high priority tasks first to make sure they get done. For medium items, I determine what can be reasonably finished by the deadline and schedule those next. Low priority items may need to get moved to the following week or reassigned if bandwidth is limited.
Throughout this process, I also communicate with my manager if I think deadlines need to be adjusted based on workload. Asking for help when needed is key!
7. Describe a challenging engineering project you worked on. How did you approach it?
This question reveals your technical skills and problem-solving abilities. Share a specific example that demonstrates strong engineering competencies.
Sample Answer:
In one of my chemical engineering classes, my team was assigned to design a new reaction and separation process for producing ethyl acetate. The instructor challenged us to maximize yield while minimizing environmental impact.
I took the lead on modeling the chemical kinetics and thermodynamics to assess yield for different reaction paths and conditions. I used simulations and DOE techniques to efficiently optimize variables like temperature, pressure, and catalyst loading.
Meanwhile, my teammates focused on developing a green separation process and minimizing waste. We tested options like pervaporation and reactive distillation.
In the end, we presented a design with nearly 90% yield and reduced secondary waste compared to traditional processes. This project improved my skills in areas like experiment design, modeling, and sustainability practices.
8. How do you ensure quality in your work?
This question demonstrates your standards, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence – qualities important for any engineer.
Sample Answer:
In any project I take on, I set clear quality objectives from the outset. I confirm specific metrics, tolerances, or performance criteria
Chemical Engineer Interview Questions
What are some of the most important skills a chemical engineer needs to have in order to do their job well?
Explanation: This is an example of an opening or general question. This kind of question is asked at the beginning of the interview to get you talking, find out a bit about you, and get something they can use for later questions.
Example: “There are several qualities that make a chemical engineer effective in their work. The first and most important is attention to detail. For safety reasons and to get the results they want, chemical engineers need to know everything there is to know about the projects they work on. Other characteristics include patience, perseverance, creative thinking, and flexibility. Another characteristic is the ability to collaborate with a diverse workforce. ”.
Question: What is flow control, and can you explain how it is used in a chemical engineering process?
Explanation: This is a technical question. As a chemical engineer, you can expect that technical and operational questions will make up most of the interview. To get ready for these questions, you should read the job posting and learn more about the company and how it works. This may give you some clues as to the type of questions you will be asked.
Flow control is the process of managing how things move through a manufacturing or distribution system. The objective of flow control is to optimize the material, equipment, and processes. As an example, I wouldn’t choose a piece of equipment that could make 1000 units per hour if only 500 units per hour were expected to be made. Flow control is managed using sensors and monitoring equipment placed at key points in the production process. ”.
Question: Can you explain the third law of thermodynamics?
Explain: This is a technical question where the interviewer wants you to explain a term used at work. Technical questions are best answered by simply defining the term. Don’t embellish or provide any additional information. The interviewer will ask a follow-up question if they need more detail.
“The third law of thermodynamics says that when a system reaches absolute zero, its entropy reaches its lowest point.” When put simply, this means that you can move the system to its relative value of absolute zero and stop it from doing anything. ”.
Question: Can you explain the difference between unit operation and a unit process?
The purpose of this operational question is for the interviewer to learn more about how you approach this job and the methods and steps you take to do the necessary tasks. Operational questions are best answered by walking the interviewer through the process.
Example: “The difference between unit operation and a unit process is very subtle. When energy comes from outside, there are no chemical changes, but the mass and concentration of the material do change. This is called a unit operation. think boiling water. The term “unit process,” on the other hand, refers to how the reactants in a process change when energy is added to the materials, usually in the form of heat. An easy way to visualize this is baking a cake. ”.
What is planning for material needs, and how do you use it in your job as a chemical engineer?
This is another operational question, which means the interviewer wants to know about a specific task you do at work. When asked about an operational question, it’s helpful to first explain what the question is about and then give an example of how the term is used.
Material requirement planning is the process of guessing how much raw material is needed to make a finished product. The calculation involves not only the components but allowances for loss and waste during production. Several software applications make these calculations relatively easy and accurate. Material requirement calculations are typically part of the company’s MRP system. ”.
Question: What is the solvent?
Explanation: This is yet another technical question. The interviewer is likely to switch between operational and technical questions throughout the interview. Try not to let this throw you. The things you know as a chemical engineer should make it easy for you to answer any of these questions.
As an example, a solvent is a liquid that can dissolve, remove, or suspend parts of a substance without changing the chemistry of the substance itself. Solvents are often used to clean, move materials from one surface to another, or separate different types of materials. Typical solvents include water, alcohols, and other reactive liquids. ”.
Question: What are the three classes of an organic solvent?
Explanation: This is a follow up to the previous question. Any time you answer a question during an interview, you can anticipate there may be a follow-up question. The interviewer will ask these to dig deeper into a topic or clarify your previous answer.
Example: “The three classes of organic solvents are hydrocarbon, halogenated, and oxygenated. Typical oxygenated solvents include alcohol, ketones, and esters. Aromatics and aliphatics are hydrocarbon solvents. Halogenated solvents are usually chlorinated agents. Each of these is used for specific purposes and with materials they either do or don’t react with. ”.
Question: Can you explain the concept of a wet bulb globe temperature and how it is used?
Explanation: This is another operational question that is very specific to a chemical engineering process. More than anything else, you need to do a lot of research about the company, its products, and the methods they are likely to use before you go on interviews. The interview will go better if you answer their questions in terms of what they need for their business.
Example: “A wet bulb globe temperature measures the sultriness of an environment. The measurement is based on the humidity, airspeed, and radiant temperature of an environment. When combined, each of these factors can dramatically affect chemical processes. This is an international standard that was made more than 50 years ago because a dry bulb temperature, which measures the temperature of the air around you, wasn’t good enough for chemical engineering students. ”.
What are some things you should know about a pipe system used to move slurries?
Explanation: This operational question is very specific to the employer’s business and a process they use. You wouldn’t need to know about this process if you are interviewing a manufacturer that doesn’t use slurries.
As an example, the most important thing to think about when choosing piping systems to move slurries is that they need to be able to drain themselves. Being able to self-drain is very important for slurries because they tend to contain solids and are heavier and denser than most liquids. Another thing to think about is how much pressure is needed to clear the line, since blockages are common. ”.
Question: What is an angle of repose, and why is it important within the chemical industry?
This is another operational question that is meant to test how much you know about certain chemical engineering processes. Fortunately, chemical engineers typically focus on specific segments of the industry. Since this is the case, most of the questions should be about your experience in your field. This makes them relatively easy to answer, assuming you’ve done your homework and prepared for the interview.
“The angle of repose” describes how a cone-shaped pile forms when solid stuff is poured onto a flat surface. This angle is found between the pile’s side and the surface it is being poured on. Surface area, density, and coefficient of friction of the material are some of the things that affect how the pile is formed. To picture this, think of sand being poured on top of something instead of rocks being piled up. The rocks will have a higher angle of repose because they tend to form a steeper pile. ”.
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Top 20 Entry Level Chemical Engineering Interview Questions
FAQ
What questions are asked in an engineering internship interview?
What do chemical engineering interns do?
How to crack a chemical engineering interview?
What questions do chemical engineer interviewers ask?
Related: Chemical Engineering Internship (Benefits and Skills) Hiring managers often ask general chemical engineer interview questions that focus more on who you are and how you work than on your technical expertise or educational experience. You might hear questions relating to your skills, abilities, and personal history.
How do I prepare for a chemical engineer interview?
Preparing for a chemical engineer interview by practising answers to possible questions may increase your confidence in the interview. In this article, we provide 40 potential chemical engineer interview questions you might encounter when interviewing for the role, and share three example answers to help you prepare.
Why should a chemical engineer answer a question?
Chemical engineers are frequently called on to invent a process for producing a new material. An interviewer might encourage you to answer this question because it gives them insight into your experience with long-term strategic planning, effective use of company resources, ability to organize, and understanding of common engineering procedures.
What should you look for in a chemical engineer?
Most chemical engineers with any training or knowledge of the subject should be able to give you some idea of this contrast in their own words. The answer deals with mass, concentration, energy and reactions. You can use this question to test the potential hire’s introductory knowledge on the subject. What to look for in an answer:
