Other Management Occupations

How to become a Biofuels or Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager

Official title: Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers

Also called: Analytical Research Program Manager, Biodiesel Division Manager, Biofuels Manager, Business Development and New Technology Manager, Laboratory Manager (Lab Manager), Project Development Director

Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.

Main tasks

Design or conduct applied biodiesel or biofuels research projects on topics, such as transport, thermodynamics, mixing, filtration, distillation, fermentation, extraction, and separation.
Analyze data from biofuels studies, such as fluid dynamics, water treatments, or solvent extraction and recovery processes.
Prepare, or oversee the preparation of, experimental plans for biofuels research or development.
Provide technical or scientific guidance to technical staff in the conduct of biofuels research or development.
Propose new biofuels products, processes, technologies or applications based on findings from applied biofuels or biomass research projects.
Conduct experiments on biomass or pretreatment technologies.
Prepare biofuels research and development reports for senior management or technical professionals.
Develop lab scale models of industrial scale processes, such as fermentation.

How to become one

To enter the occupation, architectural and engineering managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience as an architect or engineer .

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Engineering degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $171,270 a year The middle half earn $139,360 to $212,500.
About 220,900 people work in this job now, and about 233,100 are projected by 2035. (+5.5%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Biofuels or Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager?

To enter the occupation, architectural and engineering managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience as an architect or engineer .

How much does a Biofuels or Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $171,270 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $139,360 to $212,500.

Is a Biofuels or Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 220,900 to about 233,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Biofuels or Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager?

Usually. 84% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Biofuels or Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.