Physical and Engineering Science Technicians I

How to become a chemical engineering technician

Official title: Chemical engineering technician (excluding petroleum, natural gas and petrochemical)

Also called: Chemical operations engineering technician, Chemical pilot plant technician, Chemical production quality technician, Pharmaceutical plant testing technician, Polymer testing technician, Network Development Senior Technical Officer, Network Development Technical Officer, Network Development Technician, Network Planning and Strategy Senior Technical Officer, Network Planning and Strategy Technical Officer, Process Technician, Senior Process Technician

Chemical engineering technician (excluding petroleum, natural gas and petrochemical) performs technical tasks, normally under the direction of a chemical engineer, contributory to development of processes for the chemical or physical transformation of substances on a commercial scale. He/she provides technical support and service to design, construct, operate, maintain and repair chemical plant. He/she exercises technical supervision and control of chemical processing operations, gives technical guidance to workers engaged in constructing, installing, maintaining and repairing chemical processing plant and ensures compliance with specifications and safety standards.

Main tasks

Assisting in the research on and development of industrial chemical processes, plant and equipment, or testing prototypes
Designing and preparing layouts of chemical plants according to the specifications given
Preparing detailed estimates of quantities and costs of materials and labour required for manufacture and installation according to the specifications given
Monitoring technical aspects of the construction, installation, operation, maintenance and repair of chemical plants to ensure satisfactory performance and compliance with specifications and regulations
Conducting chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists and engineers in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Work-study diploma. Related ITE work-study diplomas: Work-Study Diploma in Chemical Process Technology. You are employed by a company and study at ITE at the same time. Peernovo matched these from course names.
Polytechnic or ITE: ITE course (Nitec or Higher Nitec). Related ITE courses: Higher Nitec in Chemical Process Technology. Peernovo matched these from course names; ITE does not publish which jobs each course leads to.; Polytechnic diploma. Related diplomas: Diploma in Chemical Engineering (Temasek Polytechnic). Peernovo matched these from course names; polytechnics do not publish which jobs each course leads to.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $59,100 a year. The middle half earn $47,412 to $73,836 a year.
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Questions people ask

How do I become a chemical engineering technician?

Ways in include: ITE course (Nitec or Higher Nitec); Polytechnic diploma; Work-study diploma.

How much does a chemical engineering technician earn in Singapore?

Median full-time pay is $59,100 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $47,412 to $73,836.

Will AI change the work of a chemical engineering technician?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026