How to become a chemical engineering technician

Official title: Chemical engineering technician (petrochemical)

Also called: Petrochemical laboratory technician

Chemical engineering technician (petrochemical) performs technical tasks, normally under the direction of a chemical engineer (petroleum), contributory to development of processes for manufacturing petrochemicals. He/she provides technical support and service to design, construct, operate, maintain and repair petrochemical plant. He/she specialises in operations of petrochemical plant, monitors process and safety, and conditions of petrochemical process equipment and facilities to maintain availability of equipment.

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 Peernovo matched these from course names; polytechnics do not publish which jobs each course leads to.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: $68,856 a year. The middle half earn $55,068 to $89,352 a year.
• Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Chemical engineering technician (excluding petroleum, natural gas and petrochemical)
• Chemical engineering technician (petroleum/natural gas)
• Food science technician

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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 $68,856 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $55,068 to $89,352.

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