National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0
2 - Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
This broad category comprises occupations in natural sciences (including basic and applied sciences and experimental development), engineering, architecture and information technology. These occupations cover specialized middle management occupations in engineering, architecture, science and information systems; professional occupations in natural sciences (basic and applied sciences and experimental development); and technical occupations related to natural sciences (including basic and applied sciences and experimental development).
21 - Professional occupations in natural and applied sciences
This major group comprises professional occupations in natural sciences; professional occupations in applied sciences and professional occupations in engineering. These occupations come with Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER) identified as TEER 1. Occupations classified in TEER 1, as those in this group with a 1 as the second digit of their code, typically require a university degree (bachelor's, master's or doctorate) or the accumulation of several years of experience and expertise in the subject matter knowledge in a related occupation found in TEER 2, when applicable (which includes occupations with a 2 as a second digit in their code).
213 - Professional occupations in engineering
This sub-major group comprises professional occupations in engineering, including civil and mechanical engineers; electrical, electronics and computer engineers; manufacturing and processing engineers; natural resources engineers; and other engineers.
2132 - Manufacturing and processing engineers
This minor group comprises manufacturing and processing engineers, including chemical engineers, industrial and manufacturing engineers, and metallurgical and materials engineers. They are employed in a wide range of manufacturing and processing industries, consulting firms, government, financial, health care institutions, research and educational institutions or they may be self-employed.
21320 - Chemical engineers
Chemical engineers research, design, and develop chemical processes and equipment, oversee the operation and maintenance of industrial chemical, plastics, pharmaceutical, resource, pulp and paper, and food processing plants and perform duties related to chemical quality control, environmental protection and biochemical or biotechnical engineering. They are employed in a wide range of manufacturing and processing industries, consulting firms, government, research and educational institutions.
Illustrative example(s)
- adhesives engineer
- biochemical engineer
- biotechnical engineer
- chemical process control engineer
- chemical process engineer
- chemical project engineer
- environmental chemical engineer
- industrial hygiene engineer
- industrial waste treatment engineer
- liquid fuels engineer
- petrochemical engineer
- polymer engineer
- pulp and paper engineer
- refinery engineer
- waste treatment engineer
Inclusion(s)
- pipeline transport engineer
Exclusion(s)
- Agricultural engineer (See 21399 Other professional engineers)
- Biomedical engineer (See 21399 Other professional engineers)
- Chemists (See 21101 Chemists)
- Civil environmental engineer (See 21300 Civil engineers)
- Electrical process control engineer (See 21310 Electrical and electronics engineers)
- Engineering managers (See 20010 Engineering managers)
- Metallurgical and materials engineers (See 21322 Metallurgical and materials engineers)
- Petroleum engineers (See 21332 Petroleum engineers)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Conduct economic and technical feasibility studies in areas related to chemical, petroleum, pulp and paper, food or other processing industries
- Conduct research into the development or improvement of chemical engineering processes, reactions and materials
- Evaluate chemical process technology and equipment and determine production specifications
- Design and test chemical processing and associated plants and equipment
- Oversee the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing units or processing plants
- Establish and conduct quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions
- Prepare contract documents and evaluate tenders for the process aspects of industrial construction
- Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers
- May work in an administrative capacity, for example, in the development of guidelines and specifications for the handling of dangerous chemicals, environmental protection, or standards for foods, materials and consumer goods.
Chemical engineers may specialize in the products and processes of a particular industry such as pulp and paper manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, energy processing, plastics, metal extraction and refining, or adhesives and coatings production. They may also specialize in functional areas of various industries such as process control, pollution control or fermentation processes.
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
- A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional information
- There is considerable mobility between chemical engineering specializations at the less senior levels.
- Supervisory and senior positions in this unit group require experience.
- Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
- Chemical engineers work closely with chemists and other scientists and engineers and mobility is possible between some fields of specialization.
21321 - Industrial and manufacturing engineers
Industrial and manufacturing engineers conduct studies, and develop and supervise programs to achieve the best use of equipment, human resources, technology, materials and procedures to enhance efficiency and productivity. They are employed in consulting firms, manufacturing and processing companies, in government, financial, health care and other institutions, or they may be self-employed.
Illustrative example(s)
- computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) engineer
- fire prevention engineer
- industrial engineer
- manufacturing engineer
- plant engineer
- production engineer
- quality control engineer
- safety engineer
- work measurement engineer
Exclusion(s)
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (See 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers))
- Engineering managers (See 20010 Engineering managers)
- Mechanical engineers (See 21301 Mechanical engineers)
- Metallurgical and materials engineers (See 21322 Metallurgical and materials engineers)
- Organizational analyst (See 11201 Professional occupations in business management consulting)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Plan and design plant layouts and facilities
- Study new machinery and facilities and recommend or select efficient combinations
- Develop flexible or integrated manufacturing systems and procedures
- Conduct studies and implement programs to determine optimum inventory levels for production and to allow optimum utilization of machinery, materials and resources
- Analyze costs of production
- Design, develop and conduct time studies and work simplification programs
- Determine human resource and skill requirements and develop training programs
- Develop performance standards, evaluation systems and wage and incentive programs
- Conduct studies of the reliability and performance of plant facilities and production or administrative systems
- Develop maintenance standards, schedules and programs
- Establish programs and conduct studies to enhance industrial health and safety or to identify and correct fire and other hazards
- Evaluate or assess industrial facilities
- Supervise technicians, technologists, analysts, administrative staff and other engineers.
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in industrial engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
- A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional information
- Industrial engineers develop and implement organizational and management systems, and manufacturing engineers design production processes.
- There is considerable mobility between industrial engineering specializations at the less senior levels.
- Supervisory and senior positions in this unit group require experience.
- Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
21322 - Metallurgical and materials engineers
Metallurgical and materials engineers conduct studies of the properties and characteristics of metals and other non-metallic materials and plan, design and develop machinery and processes to concentrate, extract, refine and process metals, alloys and other materials such as ceramics, semiconductors and composite materials. They are employed in consulting engineering firms, mining, metal processing and manufacturing companies, and in government, research and educational institutions.
Illustrative example(s)
- ceramics engineer
- corrosion engineer
- electrometallurgical engineer
- foundry engineer
- hydrometallurgical engineer
- materials engineer
- metallurgical engineer
- physical metallurgical engineer
- pyrometallurgical engineer
- welding engineer
Exclusion(s)
- Chemical engineers (See 21320 Chemical engineers)
- Chemists (See 21101 Chemists)
- Engineering managers (See 20010 Engineering managers)
- Materials scientist (See 21109 Other professional occupations in physical sciences)
- Mining engineers (See 21330 Mining engineers)
- Physical metallurgist (See 21109 Other professional occupations in physical sciences)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Conduct studies and design, develop and specify the processes, and machinery to concentrate, extract, refine and process metals from ores
- Conduct studies on the properties and characteristics of materials and design, develop and specify processes for moulding, shaping, forming and thermal treatment of metals, alloys and metallic systems, ceramics, semiconducting and other materials
- Conduct chemical and physical analytical studies, failure analyses and other studies and recommend material selection, design of materials, corrosion control measures, operational testing and other procedures
- Coordinate production testing and control of metal refining, smelting or foundry operations or non-metallic materials production operations
- Supervise technologists, technicians and other engineers and scientists.
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in metallurgical, materials, ceramic or chemical engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
- A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional information
- Metallurgical engineers research and develop new alloys and systems for extracting metal from ores; materials engineers research and develop new non-metallic materials with physical characteristics to meet specific requirements.
- There is considerable mobility between engineering specializations at the less senior levels.
- Supervisory and senior positions in this unit group require experience.
- Metallurgical and materials engineers work closely with other engineers and scientists and mobility is possible between some fields of specialization.
- Engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
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